Psychologically Imported
by Richochet
Summary: Short Hiatus until story is completed and beta'ed - Epic Length. Follows canon. - NejixOC and also believable OC in her twisted self as main pairing. Slight DeiXHinaxNaru - NaruxHina - Thanks to all reviewers and fav makers so far! Enjoy the story!
1. Chapter I

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Chapter One

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The black elbow-length haired girl sighed as she looked around the class room, also known as Class 3D. She leaned back in her chair, the reddish pink sailor schoolgirl uniform hugging her proportionate and toned body comfortably.

The teacher was running late for the first time in a long time and everyone was talking to each other in specific groups of friends. She sighed and looked at the large crowd around her, both sexes, and looked down, but not sad looking. Her eyes didn't read the text of Shakespeare's '_The Tempest_' in front of her, but she just looked at it.

Prospero was just speaking to Ariel, the apparition that appeared to be a nymph, but she didn't bother to remember anything else on that, even though it was right in front of her.

Usually, she loved Shakespeare… Especially 'The Tempest'… But…

'**But…?**'

'_But_…'

She crossed her arms on the table and buried her head in the crook of her elbow, drifting off.

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Flashback - Dream Style

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"_That's wrong!!" A male of around seventy years of age snapped, wrinkled face creasing up even more so at the person down below from him. "Do it again! And **properly** this time! Give him what for! Yeah!"_

_The girl gritted her teeth together, keeping her short but easily flammable temper on a leash. Her grandfather was the one who coached her. She owed him… somewhat._

_She dodged the fist flying at her easily from her opponent, eyes of clashing tiger like orange poison narrowing dangerously at him. He aimed another full frontal punch and she dodged again with an annoyed growl, grumbling through her chest. '**Didn't this idiot get she was too fast to have him go straight for her?**' _

_Ugh._

_Another punch, and the blades between each finger, like tiger claws, entered into his wrist and quickly swivelled up, a spray of juicy, metallic liquid squirted out, spraying her soft heart like face._

_He screamed and she rubbed her right bruised cheek, absently going over the three dull pink scar marks, looking like whiskers. She looked like a preying tiger on for the kill, loving the hunt and playing with her opponent._

'_**Do it.**'_

_The small and slight girl sighed silently, looking at him pityingly, knowing what she'd have to do._

_He was just some large male, slow and heavy, and she simply slipped around him, aiming a high knee kick for the back of his neck, when he furiously went for another punch with his good hand. Dodging, the hit of the steel elbow pad to his hefty neck connected, and the brown haired overly muscular male slumped to the ground, a sickening crack being heard... but not from the neck being broken._

_The crowd above cheered and screamed, the yells vibrating and echoing and she winced at the automatically huge sounds, her arms hanging limply at her side. _

'_**Ignore it.**'_

_The crack signified he was dead, but… No, it was definitely not the neck that killed him._

_She looked around the cold room. It was white tiled, but smeared with red, life giving, and still-warm blood, as if it were a canvas and the liquid the paint. There was barbed wire surrounding the walls too, as she could see the odd rip of skin or eye hanging from there. The floors were the same, cold, heartless, merciless. Weapons strung across it, sharp, deadly, evil and very much so used._

_She gulped; dread filling her like freezing water tipped sinfully slowly down her back, giving her the shivers. She hated this place. **Hated** it with intense loathing._

_The hollow rooms filled with echoed seemed to remind her of herself. Only hollow and full of loud noises of anger, violence… loneliness. It was that nothing was there to fill the void._

_And she liked it like that. You couldn't hurt what wasn't there, could you?_

'_**What if something was there?**'_

_She looked emptily at the spear through her opponents head and turned away, disgusted with herself, feeling the knotting of her stomach as her vomit tried to crawl back up to her mouth and out again but she just about swallowed it down. The acidic taste of puke was in her mouth as well as blood and spit, and she spat it on the ground._

_Unhurriedly, she wiped her mouth with the back of her huge sleeves, not even wincing when she brushed her bruised face accidentaly. _

_Spear's stuck up form the ground, the arena being a death trap while spectators looked on, quite like the Coliseum in Rome. Everything was white and black around her, but her clothes were different colours._

_She wore an over sized jumper that was at least five sizes too big for her, and it was bright orange red with three orange strips around the chest area, suiting her eyes a little. _

_It looked like she only had that jumper on. It fell down to her knees, covering the tight black shorts that she also wore with twin striped of white down the sides. On her feet were badly tied up boots that had gleaming metal of silver, rusted blood on it and they came up to mid lower leg, laces scraping the floor each time she moved a foot towards the steps to go up and out._

_On the boots were immense amounts of weights, the same around her chest, - which was bound by bandages so she wouldn't bounce – upper arms and upper legs, wrists and waist. She wore a spaghetti strap top of black under it with matching black wristband of leather that hid the weights superbly. On her elbows and knees were also metal plated pad to help on defense and offence at the same time._

_On her hip was a bag and she quickly put in the six blades between her callous scarred hands, waiting for the specially made gloves that made sure she didn't dig the skin off of her hand like it was doing to her bare hands blemished from battles. _

_The gloves would have spaces between the fingers that would have small metal slits that the blades of six inches fitted into smoothly. They'd end a little over her knuckles and halfway up to her elbows, baggy around the arms and knuckles. She had designed them herself._

_She put a hand to her left hip, where the new tattoo she required was situated. It was a simple crescent moon in silver ink outlined in moon glow blue with a half diamond shaped emerald actually inserted into her between the two points. The emerald was cut down the middle vertically, the left half there while the right was lodged into one of the weights – the right wrist. The one she got before was one she had to get. _

_It was the oldest one and was wrapped around her right thigh if you looked from behind. A tribal tiger rested its head on her right hip, eye also a fully diamond shaped emerald, and it's body was completely black, clawing around her thigh three times, and then down to the inside of her middle thigh._

_Her grandfather gave a smug smirk down at her when she reached the top of it. His little warrior was scruffy, short, and slightly greasy with sweaty chin length hair of black with bright orange highlights spiked down and outwards naturally but now it was falling in front of her face, hiding the natural cuteness. Her clothes were creased and smudged red with blood, but you couldn't really tell._

_His white hair ruffled in the wind as he pocketed the money he got whilst walking out the illegal underground stadium, she following him reluctantly and then nodded when he gave her a quarter of the money, a large pile of crisp green notes._

_Grandfather Vincent kept on smirking as he walked to the luxury silver Mercedes and opened the door with the key. He was dressed in a snappy black suit with white pinstripes and smoking on a cigar. Taking out a bag, he chucked it at her, and then he threw a wet towel and dry towel at her, giving a disgusted look at her. _

"_Next time, **Sin**," His low and growling voice gritted out, making her close her eyes as she clenched the two towels with her fists. "You won't get blood on your face. I expect you at the dojo for at least six hours after school, training in your gymnastics, blades and hand to hand in Muay Thai. Two hours for each, you hear, **Sin**? Then after, go to Miss Kaye and learn more for three hours."_

_A nod was his answer as she rubbed the damp towel over her face and hair, revelling in the fresh tropical scent. She dropped the wet one on her feet and used the dry one, dropping it also. Vincent wouldn't want them back, not when they'd touched her. She was just a tool, just a science experiment gone wrong._

"_Eat this."_

_Richochet slowly took the proffered food and closed her eyes._

_Flesh. _

_Off a human._

_He was making her into a monster._

_She quickly devoured it and gagged, but kept it down._

"_Get moving to school, **Sin**."_

_The ten year old secured the bag over one shoulder, bowed and walked away without a word, imagining torturing the sick arsehole in her mind, vividly._

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End Flashback - Dream Style

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Richochet, the small thirteen going on fourteen year old, snapped awake, sweating a little and realized that her dream had only gone on for the brief period of time of twenty five minutes and it seemed that the had only teacher just arrived. She wondered briefly if Mayuko-sensei was doing well before staring out the window, ignoring that thought. It was no business of hers.

Taking her arms away from the table, the Shakespearian book she was reading closed itself because of being too heavy on one side with a small 'fwik' like sound, yet paid no mind to it.

That dream had recurred several times in her unusually misshapen sleep plan as of late and it was getting to her.

Shaking her head, her eyes drifted half way closed, laziness setting in as she longingly eyed the bare trees outside. The cold month of December had crept up all too soon for the female, who enjoyed sitting out in an estranged field surrounded by flowers of many kinds. That was when she was at most peace with herself and her cumbersome thoughts.

She was really bad with the cold also, hating being outside at this time of year where she could easily get hypothermia or pneumonia or whatever else you can get by freezing halfway to death. She easily got ill for reasons unknown.

Maybe she just didn't have as good as an immune system as everyone else?

Hmm.

Richochet thought back to her dream and of how some things had changed, like for instance her hair. There were no more highlighted orange streaks that her Grandfather had made her wear to show her off in the 'arena', and she had grown her hair out for one reason only.

It was to prove that she didn't fight to kill any more.

If it was short, it would signify to her that she had slipped back into her past, that she had tainted herself further, that she had made herself an untamed, ravaging beast once more.

It wasn't self pity – it was fact.

She grimaced at the last, most vivid part of her dream. The flesh. She was a cannibal and it was normal for her to eat human flesh – if there was nothing else that is. It didn't taste of anything really, bland kind of.

A sigh wracked her body and she closed her eyes, lifeless. Usually, she was pretty upbeat and sensitive to the environment around her, paranoid that she was about to be attack everytime she went around a corner, hand straying at her hip for her blades and gloves.

The bell rang abruptly, snapping her out of her mental madness.

She grabbed her bag, filled with the necessary stationary folder and paper, some snack bars, fruit in a small container and a dictionary of psychological terms that she stole once. Apparently, she had a small case of kleptomania – which was basically stealing things impulsively, even when you don't need it.

Great, huh?

She was a stealing maniac.

It's what eeeeveryone likes to be known as by their own inside psychologist.

Aww, who cared?

Consciences sucked anyway.

She was good at stealing too, hands quick.

Looking down at her black book bag, she frowned and plucked out a letter that looked very familiar...

Richochet narrowed her eyes in displeasure. "Whoopee-freaking-do another meeting with my psychologist Grandfather set me up with." Her light voice moved into the class sardonically. She shook her head in admonishment. "Why bother…?"

She flipped the bag onto her back and grabbed the Shakespearian book in front of her, holding it under her right arm and slowly walked out of the classroom, ignoring the 'Goodbye, dearie,' that the teacher gave her warmly and patted her way down the corridor.

School girls giggled loudly, chatting about what they were doing this weekend – or at least the pair she walked past did – and some boys were talking about the latest sports results. It was loud to her sensitive ears, pounding her head, giving her a head ache, but she kept calm through it, trying to seem uncaring.

She finally reached her locker and grabbed the bag filled with clothes and weights – the exact same from her memory in her sleep apart from the bright orange which was now dark blood red, almost black. Grudgingly going back through the throng of loud, obnoxious students, she reached the bathroom, found a stall and quickly changed.

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Exiting with bag and book bag in hand, she felt far better in her training uniform, no matter what memories it brought along. Turning left and walking down the black carpeted stairs, she quickly headed for the double doors signaling the entrance. Stopping, she stashed her bag once again in the locker and closed it, locking it tight.

"Richocheeeeet!!" A gullible and irritating voice called to her.

Richochet felt her lower lip curl in distaste and turned to face the happy-go-lucky Chikoto Mizu.

Mizu was, in terms of looking, down right beautiful, and in terms of brains, smarter than the average person, and in terms of personality, the most annoyingly caring person ever that everyone just seemed to fall down and _fall in love_ with – but that may just be the cynical side of Richochet talking.

She had extremely long dark blue black hair that fell to below her knees and was done in an intricate braid; shining everytime the light hit the silky gorgeous hair. Her green eyes were as bold as the neon sign on the club opposite the school. Her complexion was fair and unblemished, the most perfect skin the all the fucking history in the world.

The girl could do anything – sing perfectly, dance brilliantly, draw extraordinarily well. Everything Richochet couldn't do, Mizu did with absolute spot on grace. Hell, everything Richochet could do, Mizu was probably better.

She even had a sob story going on.

Her rich billionaire daddy threw her out because he hated her and her mother was dead.

WRONG.

In fact, Richochet had looked this up with some connections good old grandpappy had. While daddy Chikoto was rich, he had gotten Mizu her own mansion to live in with five maids, given her everything her greedy gold covered heart desires and wanted her to know how to do things herself.

Oh, and 'the mother was dead' thing?

Nuh-uh.

The mother had divorced the father and was living it large with some hot shot Latino man from Italy. Of course, daddy dearest had decided to not tell her and just said she was dead because he was too ashamed to admit it.

Mizu was abso-fucking-lutely perfect and had everything any kid wanted as a youngster (yep, including that pony – she had three) and it made Richochet want to puke.

Yet, this girl was the only one Richocht put up with. Why? Who knows? She just did. Maybe it was just because she could insult the girl and not get insulted back.

"What?" Richochet snapped to the nauseating girl. "I don't have time for your infuriating self."

Mizu beamed, ignoring her as they walked out the doors, happy she was acknowledged by the lone wolf. She also ignored the fact that Richochet had sped up. "Oh, well, I was wondering, if my kind-" She also ignored the choking from the sarcastic girl, "-and considerate little self-" More choking ensued, "-could walk you to where ever it is you're going?"

"_OH_, well, I'd be so _honored_ if you would." Richochet said as sarcastically as possible to see if Mizu really was as oblivious as she thought. Seeing the blank look on the girls face, she rolled her eyes and said loudly enough for her to hear. "Stupid bitch."

"Yay!" Mizu cried and tried to hug Richochet, shoving her huge breasts into the aggravated girls' sight, but she missed and fell to the ground. The girl on the ground got up again with a wince and looked at Richochet.

Only to find she wasn't there.

"Hey, where'd she go?!"

Richochet gave a sigh of relief as Mizu ran around looking for her under random stones and behind trees, but not in the most obvious place of an alley way.

'_Thank God for that…_' She leaned against the hard, cold red brick wall, letting it grit across her back as she moved into a more relaxed pose by crossing one foot over the other at the ankle.

'**You can say that again.**'

The orange eyed girl gave a silent groan.

'**Yes, I'm here again mortal.**' It snickered. '**Have you been practicing blocking me out? Silly mortal, you should spend more time on you and those special little… life and energy feeling flairs you have…**'

This was one of the reasons she went to the psychiatrist.

That damn voice that wouldn't stop talking to her.

'…**You see, I don't feel appreciated enough…**'

'That's because you're not!' She snapped back, even though her psychiatrist told her not to do so, as it would promote the 'voice' to talk back to her. '_To be honest, I rather like having someone in my head._'

'**Now we're getting somewhere!**'

'…_That was a self thought…but _do_ take it how you _will_…'_ She shook her head and rolled her eyes in irritation._ 'As I just _love_ voices being pissy and _feeling_ oh so _underappreciated_ by me..._'

'**Drop the sarcasm and cynicalism mortal and keep that cannibalism and we're getting somewhere.**'

'_Sorry, bucko, but that's me. Sod off, voicey._' The Muay Thai stylist sighed and shook her head once more, reached into her pocket and removed the pack of cigarette and lighter, wanting a stress reliever. She wasn't that addicted – she only ever had a couple in her life.

Of course, starting yesterday _would_ do that to you.

'**Stop desecrating this body!**' It grouched as she put the butt of the smoke up to her lips gently, tasting it on her somewhat chapped lips as she reached a hand up to cover the now lit lighter from the wind. '**STOP!**'

'_Shut up._'

'**Damnit mortal!**' She grimaced in shocked surprise as a bolt of electricity rammed down from a near by street lamp and burst into ground in front of her. Her eyes were blinded by the white blue electrical energy that zapped in front of her and dropped her cigarette and lighter in shock, eyes wide. '**Hmph.**'

Time stopped for a short moment as Richochet collected her bearings. "…One thing after the other with me isn't it?" She asked rhetorically to the sky, feeling somewhat washed over.

Then she blinked feeling a strange sensation over come her left side, pinpointing a small flux of… energy she could say… coming towards her and it was moving up and down.

It was like the feeling you got after rubbing a balloon against you and then having it against your head to try and statically lift your hair to it. _That_ lifting feeling was what was going up and down her left shoulder.

And strangely enough, it was in time with the loud obnoxious skipping footsteps coming towards her. Humming entered her hearing and she felt a frown of displeasure come to her face.

"I found you!"

Mizu.

Brilliant.

"Why'd you run off like that?!" She asked with such a broken look that it seemed as if Richochet had shot her with an AK 47 or something to that nature - like murdered her pet Chihuahua or something.

"Piss off, you damn bitch." Richochet cruelly shook her head in disgust and turned away to pick up her lighter, but as her had hovered over the cigarette's a feelin of being glared at viciously was too hard to ignore as her stomach churned in discord. Not only that, but the earlier feeling of the flux of energy hadn't gone, it had improved and it had stabilized in the way that it wasn't just a static like feeling.

No, it was now a very small solid warmth.

She turned to the downhearted Mizu who was pouting at the floor. And for a split second a vision of a thermometer popped into her head, the mercury within barely an eighth of the way up. Not only that, she felt hundreds of pinpointed blasts of heat on Mizu at different points all over her body.

Closing her eyes, she jolted in shock when she saw the hundreds of small blasts of heats as blue little dot sized lights. Deciding to probe it out later, she opened her eyes once more.

She smoothly stood up again, looking away from the girl and felt a sharp pain roll in her eyes like it had been sliced. A paper cut like slice that just had vinegar poured over the wound.

"Gah! Richochet! Seishou Richochet! You're crying bloody tears!" Mizu took out a fresh tissue from a small plastic packet and dabbed at the offending blood that trailed from her tear ducts.

There was a solemn silence echoing within her as Richochet moved away after a stunned moment.

'_What was going on with me today?_' She turned away once more, walking out of the alley way with not so sure movements that she usually had and did have when she walked in. She pointedly ignored the bloody tears still weeping from her tear ducts. '_Everything is coming at once. My past is popping up in dreams for the first time. This idiotic girl won't let up as easily as before. My 'voice' is talking far more than usual too._'

The voice stirred, awakening once again. '**Listening was far too lackluster for my tastes.**'

"W-Wait up!" Mizu called from behind. "Now I'm more curious of you than ever!"

Richochet paused, suddenly not finding her half as irritating as before. Narrowing her eyes and shielding herself, she mockingly replied, "Oh? And what could _possibly _be so damn curious about _me_ of all people?"

"Um…Well…" Mizu looked down, looking like a confused lost puppy. "I…don't know, I…."

The orange eyed female gave a silent sigh through her small slightly rounded nose and looked away as she walked down the road with a stuttering, lumbering girl of magnificent beauty behind her. '_This girl…is…an _idiot_.' _She walked up a hill unconsciously, thinking to herself._ 'Hmm, I never really have anything good to say, do I?_' The pondered thought came quickly after.

'**True. She's probably trying to use any information on you against you…**' The voice said lazily, like an animal relaxing out in the sun, slipping off into a light slumber. '**…I wouldn't trust her.**'

'_I don't even trust myself let alone this whelp._'

'**Do you trust me?**'

_'I suppose it's better to trust an imaginary voice compared to a real one...'_

"W-Well, you…" Mizu sighed cutely, quite the opposite of Richochet's ones that she was unaware of had a slightly mocking tone to it. She then put her hands up in the air in resignation. "I don't know; I just feel something special in you."

Another strange silence echoed in her head, but this time, it wasn't as lonely. This time, it seemed apprehensive, almost, about the remark and what affect it would have on her.

Richochet clenched her teeth together, feeling the strange sensation of that heat pin points once again on her as Mizu drew nearer, causing more bloody tears to fall, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. More would come down anyway.

'…**This goes against every survival skill you have…**'

She found her body being taken over, felt her mind being slammed into the corner of her brain forcefully. She burst into a very quick sprint, bookbag smacking her back each time. Mizu following behind slightly, wondering what was wrong.

"R-Richo…chet…" She gasped, good at athletics but not when unprepared and in a _skirt_ of all things, and looked to see the girl stop at the cliff momentarily.

'_G-Give me back my body!!_' The Muay Thai stylist fighter yelped in her own head. For once, she wasn't in control, and it was frightening her. How could something like this take over her body? Was she possessed by some kind of ghost? '_I demand you give me my body back._' She tried to somehow assert herself to get her body but…

'**This is it.**'

Mizu screamed as Richochet's body plummeted over the cliff that she could have sworn was never there before. She ran after her, intending to slow down at the edge, but the sudden shock of thunder zapping down but her flinch and move in shock – just enough for the cliff edging to break, sending her falling.

'YOU IDIOT!!'

'**It's time, host.**'

Richochet blacked out, screams echoing in her mind.

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Richochet: _Okay, I'm just wondering if people would actually like to read this… so could you please review and tell me if I should? This will be NejixOC since I see way too many SasukexOC and NarutoxOC. Don't you agree? Oh and please tell me if there's something wrong with my character! Bye!

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**R.**

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	2. Chapter II

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_**A big thanks to all who reviewed!**_

_Nine Tailed Shadow Fox - Zero Asakura - Hibiki-chan - EvilNaraku - FallenAngel323232_

_Please keep reading! I'd hug you all, but then I'd smack into the screen. Owch._

_Read to the song - _Harder to Breathe - Maroon Five

Suggest a song and who it's by if you don't think it's fits and there's a better one! There probably is. (Shrugs)

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**Chapter Two**

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The lava eyed girl stared at the red blades of sharp grass in front of her, feeling as though she was bound by nothing, limitations were the sky and even then she was beyond that.

It was a pure beautiful feeling and it overwhelmed her so much her eyes started tearing up, and blood once more flowed from her tear ducts with the emotions overpowering her.

Then it ended. It was so sudden, as if she had been plunged down from space to fall to ground.

Though the plunging from space was imaginary, the ground was real.

Richochet gasped, choking on her own blood as fire burst through her body, cells smashing and grinding each other as her suddenly weak bones smashed and splintered, fragmenting into oblivion. Each sliver shoved through her skin, pain beginning anew.

Pain.

If there was anything in the world she was most used to, it would be pain.

Yet never to this extent.

She had never felt so battered and bruised.

She had never felt so utterly _helpless_.

The silent torture of pain went straight through Richochet, her brain processing it, neurons working overtime as it overloaded her system. Her _new_ system that is. The body that the voice inhabited was remade, the soul and mind within her alive and extremely alert of anything and everything around her.

Her body stretched and shrunk, flexed and contracted, throbbing and suffering flowing through her as her body rearranged itself by some inner power.

Flexes of muscles became sinuous, supple, and strong.

Skin tightened, pores bleeding blood, eyes overflowing with tears.

Blood encompassed her body, soaked her clothes.

Her body squeezed together again, mended, and as if deciding it didn't like that shaped it had formed, she was smashed all over again, stretched to her limits and more.

A scream of agonized torture shrieked from her lips as her body shuddered painfully. Her mouth was abruptly slammed shut, and vocal cords tightened by will of the monster that controlled her body with ease.

'**Hush.**' It soothed her, sending even more pain through her as it spoke. '**That pathetic body you once had is being renewed, remade and improved radically.**'

'…_I-I don't understand._' She thought back slowly trying not to move from her fetal position and cause her even more agony. '_Why…? Where…? HOW…?_'

Richochet was confused, scared and very unstable.

A purr flowed through her body, warming her, comforting her further. '**Hush. You will feel immense pain still.**' The deep voice spoke, masculine and powerful. How strange, she could actually tell that the voice, which had previously been neither male nor female, was mannish. It didn't surprise her as much as she thought it would.

A burst of pure inferno erupted from her body, igniting her into a new level of magnified pain. It was like being burnt, stabbed, ripped, torn, shattered, raped and killed over and over again. Then that agony stopped as instantly as it had come letting the old pain of being squeezed and stretched out hit her once more.

She shivered, soaking wet.

Sweat?

Water?

Blood?

She didn't know, all she knew what that her clothing was slicked against her, squelching at each shudder she gave. But it didn't help that she felt pain with each shudder, but she couldn't help it. Shivering was painful and it would only continue because of the settings she was in. It was _freezing_ out here.

Where was that voice coming from? Something in her denied it was some voice her imagination had wildly created. This was too real, too familiar for her to have created it. It's like she had it all along… but it wasn't her. It didn't make any sense, but it definitely wasn't her.

'**Of course not.**' It dismissed the idea. '**I do not like being called it.**'

Her orange lava like eyes glowed in the darkness as she slitted them open to peer around. It was snowing, and she now knew why she was soaking wet. A red heat was surrounding her, glowing protectively around her, leaving a huge welt between her shuddering body and the pure white snow that was tainted with droplets of blood.

Trees crept around her, some kind of forest, perhaps, maybe woods. They were tall, grand, with large barks in a shade of dark mahogany brown, but the branches had no leaves looking wilted and dead in the shine of the afternoon sunlight.

It was windy, making her body quiver even more in reaction, a chilly breeze crawling with icy cold fingers through her limp body mockingly. A leaf landed on her left temple, the crispiness soaking a small amount of blood.

A rather large pond of murky fungus infested water with a rock beside it, small, but sloping up smoothly. Her head was lying on it, as if it were a pillow.

She was rather surprised she could see. There was so much blood welled up in her eyes that she could only see few things, and they were in shades of dark and light crimson red. The blood was very dark in a place over her eyes, the middle where her pupil was.

She tilted her head ever so slowly and then let her body follow, bolts of thunder like pain electrocuting her as she did so and hands grasped at the small place below the ribs in the middle and above the stomach. Something warm and beating was within the cage of her palms and she looked down, neck bursting with excruciating heat.

On her neck was a deep velvet lightning yellow furred choker and on it was a silver chain that wrapped at lest six times around her neck. The chains stopped at the center and one single hefty and thick chain fell from the middle of it to her hands. Under her hands was a small crystal heart incased in a glass ball which the top had the large chain connected to it. The glass also had a small keyhole on it at the front and was only the size of a gold ball and just as heavy.

Briefly, she wondered where the key was and what it looked like as a sense of calmness flowed through her for once.

Instant disagreement was felt from the voice. '**LISTEN to me, mortal. Do not move.**' He sounded irritated… '**Yes I AM!**' His voice thundered in my head. '**You will not move an inch and you WILL close your eyes. If you move an interrupt further, the consequences to your body will be extremely harsh.**'

His voice still sent pain rolling through her body as if she were lost in a sea of whips.

'_Fine, oh great one._'

The voice seemed to nod in her. '**Your sarcastic barbs have returned.**' It stated, calmer. '**This is good.**'

'_Tch. They don't ever leave._' Her reply was fluttery as if she was light like a feather. She felt her eyes drift close, light headedness took over the sensation of being feather-light and blackness seemed to prevail over her.

'**Each bone in your body is breaking, reforming with more marrow and calcium to go along, stronger, yet a little shorter, with more than average.**' He stated and she was drawn to its demure like tone.

'_Uh…huh…_' She replied painfully sleepily. '_I'm…starting to…not care._'

'**Your organs are able to break down the nutrients and use the nutrients even better, so you don't have to eat as many times as usual, but you will need a lot at each time.**' It continued on, explaining when al she wanted to do was sleep. '**I've made your body more suited to speed over strength though you retain some semblance of higher muscle than other females and some males of your species.**'

There was a small silence.

'**I've stolen your body back to where I rightfully belong. I killed you. Now I must give your body the power to cope with what I have done to it. You may use my chakra whenever you please. You may use _me_ whenever you please.**'

Her body had suddenly felt as if someone had gently and effortlessly pried open her spirit, exposing her soul to this strange and foreign outsider who stopped and let the feeling of spotlight get to her. Then a slow tinkling of pure essence streamed into her with the utmost care and it brought fresh bloody tears to her eyes.

It filled her soul to the brim with power, the same power, she deftly realized, that had surrounded her in her pain, yet it wasn't red, it was just… it just _was_. There was no colour to it, no scent and no familiarity…apart from power.

Pure, unadulterated power.

It wouldn't stop. She felt her soul fill up to the brink, but it didn't stop. The power gurgled into her, pushed her soul's levels to what it should be, to what it should always have been, to what it _would_ always be. Her body felt like it expanded, filled with courageous confident power, and wouldn't stop.

Her spirit shelled the power but the shell was cracking, conceding as it flung apart, shattering and flowed everywhere around her, but in her at the same time so only she could access it.

It was bliss, her body rolling in wave after wave of gratification and contentment. Her cheek felt as though someone was drawing curls on it, sending more warmth to her.

Her mind had been blasted away. '_This feeling...is…is…_'

A chuckling ensued from her voice, deep and melodious. '**I will explain later. You must sleep.**'

'_You expect _me_ to sleep when _this_ has just happened?_' There was no sarcasm, just exasperation among exhaustion and fatigue. Something came to her, a feeling something was staring, eyes judging. '_What…the…_'

'**I will tell you when you sleep. You must sleep.**'

'_Like I could _sleep_ after that… And _how_ exactly am I to… acknowledge you… when… I'm…_' Her mind fell into unconsciousness, but while she did so, power still pushed its' way into her, and would hours after now.

It continued even when a new power emerged, chaotic, not natural to the human body, somewhat like lightning and thunder that connected to her.

It felt as though she was unknowingly linked to something dangerous, something predatory, something voracious, but also something recognizable to her that had been there all the time.

'**Silly mortal, I, Rokubi, after inhabiting you all this time, know what is best for you.**'

* * *

Opal eyes narrowed in dismay. Team Gai's latest mission had been a complete and utter bore. True, it was only a 'C' class mission, but nothing happened as they protected an old man from Konohagakure to the outskirts of Kumogakure. Not only did nothing happen, it had rained half the time they got there. 

Sure, the long haired male could stand rain, either pouring down like buckets or spitting down, but he preferred to stay _dry_.

After the long, boring and tedious waste of time he had to call a mission, Hyuuga Neji could not help but want to get back to Konohagakure. It was his home land, no matter how repetitive at times it got, and no matter how far the snow could get to on his legs, accumulating quickly, he still wanted to be back.

His body yearned to go back into training instead of doing guard duty at night. He felt as though he was lacking behind and a Hyuuga did not lack behind anyone. He pulled up a foot to rest in front of him on the cool rock he was currently sat upon to tighten the gauze wrapped around his right leg.

A loud yawn interrupted his brooding and his eyes looked over to Rock Lee, his wacky team mate. Loud and energetic with seemingly hardly a thought of his own because of their 'special' sensei, Rock Lee was a Taijutsu specialist.

Of course, he could never beat Hyuuga Neji, the number one rookie of their year at the academy, but he _could_ try.

Neji was just too good, but he _worked_ for it as well as having the natural genius in him. He had seen Lee work hard and even though he wasn't on the opal eyed boys' level, the Hyuuga was at least satisfied that the idiot worked for his own level. And it was a level that was above a dire amount of others of their age in Konohagakure.

So he could safely say it was fine Rock Lee was on his team. Not out loud, naturally, but in his head was fine.

The shiny haired boy rubbed his eyes with his fists like a child and gracefully got up, long limbs with slick muscle moving to support his body effortlessly. He was still dressed in that ridiculous outfit of stretchy green…_something_ he'd rather not digest was made of and orange leg and arm warmers, having just pulled the thin but warm blanket over him.

The said grey blanket was now at his feet, but was quickly picked up and folded up, precise and quick, reflecting the hardworking boy of thirteen going on fourteen whom then packed it away in his bag. His large bug like eyes looked around and settled on the empty space that the third team mate had once been settled on.

"Neji-kun, my rival! Have you seen our blossoming flower, Tenten?!" He spoke fitfully, as if he had been awake for hours, irritating the strongest of the trio genin.

Neji even had to have time to wake up properly, and four seconds wasn't it.

Deciding that it was far too early, he was far too annoyed, and that he was needing far too much sleep, Neji felt it was best to just appease the idiot before it got out of hand. "Hmph. She went to go and do her business."

Lee's cheeks flared red making the Hyuuga raise an eyebrow before sighing and closing his eyes. Why could Lee not get over the fact Tenten _was_ a female and they _did_ have ovulary times? Of course, he probably thought that she went to get rid of urine or waste but Neji, with his Byakugan, knew these things.

The 'evil eye' he held did see chakra after all. And when women were… on their cycle, he could see the lines and flow of chakra double at that area for reasons unknown.

Byakugan certainly came in usual at times.

Tenten.

She was definitely another good member of the team, with great aim, brilliant use of weapons and how to weld and wield them to their fullest capacity; Tenten was a female he could at least get on with on some level. She also had very minor healing abilities because of her excellent chakra control that she could use.

_And_ she was sane, unlike his sensei and other team mate, Maito Gai and Rock Lee, which was a definite plus in his books.

However, Tenten was bright and cheerful, sometimes too much with odd ideas. It would be nice if he could train and work with someone more normal, even though when it came down to it, those two came through for the team and for him.

Then the last person…

Neji's mind wandered over the irritating girl they found. Miza something or other. She wasn't important and as he looked over to her bedroll, he saw her sleeping silently, curled up into a fetal ball, cheeks wet. Ah, yes, he had to listen to her sob a couple times during the night.

The girl had insisted she came from another world.

Hmm. It could be true – after all, they had demons, and they were supposed to be supernatural. Anything could happen in this world and it seems that this world had connected somehow with that world.

Miza had also insisted she had fallen off a cliff after trying to rescue her friend, Richochet.

This girl? Trying to rescue anyone? Please. She was a brat. She was like any other weakling girl… Well, maybe not so much Tenten… or that wind fan girl from sand… or that Anko lady… But that Anko was freaky… and didn't really count since she was a woman.

"Ah! Neji, Lee! You are both awake!" Their bright sensei, Maito Gai, sashayed his way up to them, strutting his stuff. Neji winced involuntarily, the fourteen year old giving a half-disgusted look to him. "Let us find our flower and head on back to our home!"

"Gai-sensei! What about Mizu-Mizu?!" Neji inwardly cringed. Lee had already gotten attached to her and given her a nickname? He sighed through his nose, closing his eyes, but still aware of the surroundings. When Lee got attached to something, you never really heard the end of it… He even went on about Sakura still even after the Chuunin exams when sand and sound attacked.

"She'll be fine on her-" A scream cut off Gai's sentence.

* * *

It was several days later that Richochet awoke. It was rather a fast awakening, one she wasn't used to as if someone had zapped her into consciousness rather than the slow bleariness she _was_ used to. 

Her fingers twitched automatically, trying to feel out where she was instead of opening her eyes, just in case of strangers around. It was odd – she had never needed to do that before but it seemed instinct now. Grass twitched under her fingers, cold and wet, slick under her fingers somewhat calloused hand.

She felt distinctly full, as if something that was separated from her had rejoined into her again, something much loved returned once more. A complete feeling.

'_Brilliant._' She thought sarcastically, '_I've never been complete before now._' While others in her situation may have felt exalted in their feeling of bliss and happiness that she was currently feeling, Richochet was ticked off that it never came to her when she was in familiar territory.

Yet she was even more curious as to what _this_ territory was and how she had gotten there.

She listened to her surroundings, only hearing life go on, birds calling to each other, the wind blowing peacefully.

No one was around to harm her, not just yet.

The lava eyed teen frowned, trying to place the fragments of her splintered mind together again. Everything was fuzzy to her. She opened her eyes slowly and gritted her teeth to find even her sight was fuzzy with red coloring instead of the normal vibrant colours that always assailed her mind.

Unknowing pounded her brain, demanding she find out where the hell she was. Unleashing her teeth from it's gritting, she slowly sat up, hands behind her to hold her up, and tried to find some semblance of bearing.

'**I sense you are awake.**' Rokubi growled out, deep and commanding. That voice again. She wasn't sure if she liked it. '**Now, now, pet, after all I've done for you…**'

'_You mean, apart from making my body scramble and unscramble itself? Oh and don't forget that I was torn apart from the inside with unbearable pain on the side. Yeah, that was a REEEAL delight. Thanks._' She responded derisively, rolling her eyes. '_That was a _brilliant_ gift._'

It laughed where others would take offense. '**I've always liked your style, pet!**' The chuckle died down. '**Now, I believe you have more than enough questions.**'

Richochet took the prompt as her lips thinned. '_What have you done to me?_'

'**I've developed you.**' He replied easily. '**After all, if you die, I die, and I will not leave my life to a pathetically weak girl.**' He laughed at her extreme offense.

'I_ am _not_ weak._' She slowly wobbled to stand up on two feet to make a point, but was extremely pained. She quickly fell to the ground, head smashing against the rock and leaving her in a daze.

Anger flowed through the link the voice and Richochet shared as pain burst through her skull, stemming from the place of impact. '**Do not move. You will forget your pride for the time being and listen.**'

She gritted her teeth again. '_Damnit. Only for a little while then._' She spoke, unwilling to do so to a voice. '_Go on. I remember you telling me about not needing as much food and that I had higher muscle._'

'**Hmm.**' It pondered from the cage it was kept in. '**Your healing has improved drastically; minor wounds will heal within seconds, major within days. Thus why you are still weak from each bone breaking.**'

'…' Richochet's eyes widened. She had only figured that she _felt_ as if her bones were breaking all at once, not literally. Controlling herself, she calmed a little, trying to remember that pain, but it seemed as if it happened lifetimes ago, never to be in her reach again.

Ignoring the confusing feeling it brought, she gave a nod.

'**Your chakra storage is immense - far greater than any other human or lesser tailed beast. However, you can't do some Ninjutsu such as the earth elemental ones and you can barely do any Genjutsu. Taijutsu will not be a problem, you excel in it. Chakra healing may come easy to you when you learn control.**'

'_Oh, I suuuuure know what that means!_'

'**You will soon. Ah,**' He suddenly remembered something. '**Two, no three, more bodily functions I forgot to remember. You cannot digest carrot or anything orange – it'll poison you - and you will feel better eating meat. Two, your bones can now secrete poison if you wish it to. So bite someone and they'll die within minutes apart for one factor.**'

'_What will that be, oh master of all knowledge?_'

'**Hmph, funny, human.**' Rokubi replied with an edge of annoyance. '**That will come to you some other time. Thirdly, lightening will no longer affect you, it will heal you and give you an energy boost. However, fire is extremely excruciating for you, a major weakness, so try not to get burnt.**'

'_As if the earlier torture wasn't enough._' Richochet thought, irritated. '_Anything else you forgot? Say for instance… _Your name?'

'**But, of course,**' Rokubi replied. '**I am Rokubi no Raijuu, the six tailed demon.**'

'_A demon…? I have… a demon… in my mind?_'

'**Not quite. I am sealed in your body primarily and trapped in your mind secondarily.**' Rokubi said easily. '**Not that I mind; you are the most entertaining host I've ever been sealed into. Your life was amusing.**'

'_I am not a television show for you._' Richochet replied scathingly, eyes narrowing, even though it pained her. '_And what do you mean sealed? How can there be demons?_'

'**As simply as there can be humans. I was sealed into you to stop my destructing of the human world. I was bitter and angry at the time, for my family had been killed and rage over ran me. This was in Kumogakure, when the humans and I had a pact – I would protect the land if they offered up sacrifices.**'

'_Meaning you ate them._'

'**Kumogakure citizens had a salty taste to them that you can't get anywhere else.**'

Richochet raised an eyebrow at the demons sadistic attempt at humour but found a little smirk on her lips at it. '_Right. Human meat doesn't taste _that _bad._'

Rokubi chuckled, '**You _would_ know, wouldn't you? Cannibal as you are.**'

'_Hmph._'

'**Like I said, your life was amusing. Far more than any other ninja who simply tried to rescue and save them.**' The demon growled in remembrance of those he had past inhabited and her life in the arena at the same time. '**You killed because you had to. You never once thought to hesitate. You would make a fine demon.**'

'…' Richochet really had no reply to this. Apart from, '_Huh,_' as she nodded.

'**Feel your neck.**' Rokubi commanded her weak body to lift its' hand to touch the neck. She felt something like animal fur and looked down to see some strange necklace, and the fur a deep velvet, and yellow lightning as a colour. '**That and the necklace is your heart. Keep it safe. The one who has the key somehow to can have it locking you to them. Kind of like a wedding ring…or a jail key.**'

'_That can't be!_'

'**You are not in your world, you know.**' Rokubi's guttural voice growled. '**Anything could be. That is one major flaw that I could not rectify when I had to remake your body. That heart of yours contains part of your soul.**'

'Shit.' She swore internally. '_Not good. What about the heat blasts I get?_'

Rokubi grinned a smirk. He had wondered when she would ask that. '**Your bloodline limit. You can feel people's chakra points. It is like the blood tubes beings have all over them. If you place your energy to those points, you can cut them off using the Gentle Fist style or something similar to it and hurt them badly. Since you have 'Muay Thai' and 'Shaolin Leopard' style fighting as well as blades experience, you could channel energy through body and blade to…**'

'_To _what_…?_' The lava eyed girl blinked.

'**Figure it out yourself.**'

'_Oh, you stupid git!! That's unfair!_'

'**I told you everything else, so...**' Both heard footsteps approaching and the sound of metal clanking very softly which immediately set off alarm bells. '**You have better hearing, all demons do. However, us demonic weasel are more sensitive to vibrations and feelings. Just see what happens, the footsteps are light, equally female and young, your type maybe.**'

'_You mean like me with age, height, weight, and etcetera._' Richochet replied, sure of herself, yet still unable to do much physically.

'**Talking of physically… Your eyes are more intense and the middle where it was once black is now blood red and so are the three whisker marks on your right cheek. The tattoo on your leg is now a weasel. Your stomach has the demon seal on it in black ink mixed with blood like usual. Oh, and you have nice baby fangs.**'

Richochet felt her teeth and scowled to find canine teeth pointed more than before. The footsteps were louder, indicating the length the two were away from each other.

She heard a gasp and quick running steps through the snow and then to stop by her. She refrained from shifting away from two fingers settled on her pulse in her neck. A sigh of relief was heard and then the fingers trailed down to her furred necklace.

An agonized scream erupted from Richochet's lips before Rokubi could read her thoughts and forbid it by controlling her body. He used his will, to stop her from attracting attention before he could teach her more properly on the different lands, Lords and the ruling ninja system and different clans in all places, but he found it would not work and she continued screaming.

* * *

Next Chapter will come out soon next year. Lol!

XD

* * *

**R.

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**


	3. Chapter III

**I so love you guys...**

_FallenAngel323232 (just the necklace) - EmoAndTheSpazz - Nine Tailed Shadow Fox - DarkLightKitsune - Hibiki-chan_

Wheeee! You guys rule! And awsome pen names too. Hey, is there actually a person with a Pen Name called Pen Name? It would be so cool if there was... Okay, but I'm babbling.

_Read to the Song_ - **I was listening to Golden I by Mindless Self Inulgence** (One of my four favourite bands. XD) _so to try and understand my crazy many tracked mind, it may be fun to read while listening to it. _

_Or not. _

_Oh, if you go to Youtube and write in 'msi anticlockclock' you'll get several lipsync's that are awesome by this weirdo guy._

_See you at the bottom..._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Three**

**

* * *

**

Tenten, after a stricken moment of shock and surprise, flung her hand off the strange _sunk in and furred necklace_, promptly stopping the shriek that overcame the girl.

Trying to stop her heart from fluttering like crazy as she heard three pairs of feet run in her direction, she took in a deep breath to calm herself. It wasn't as though something like this happened all the time. In fact, Tenten had never seen such a thing happen before with her very light touch as she was always careful.

Playing with weapons non stop did that to you.

She blew some soft bangs out of her vision as she tried to look at the situation from a ninja's point of view rather than a scared girl's view. Now standing up, she had a look around the scenery as her team mates came to her unneeded aid.

The girl was lying with her head on a rock like it was a pillow…or a headstone for a grave. She shivered but carried on looking, no use having those thoughts. The snow had melted around her as if she had a fire burning around her.

The weapons master kneeled down and bent forward once more putting the back of her hand to the stranger's forehead. She was warm, warmer than usual perhaps, especially in this cold weather. Tenten herself had a scarf of black wrapped around her neck and thin but usefully warm gloves on her hands as well as more bandages overall.

Tenten wasn't sure if she had a fever, but it was better to go with that she did have one as it was unlikely she herself was that warm during these exceptionally cold months.

As well as having a fever – maybe – the girls breathing was slightly erratic and she seemed extremely tender all over, her body moving away slightly as Tenten reached for her.

'**Damnit girl, you're supposed to let her touch you.**'

'_Shut up, it hurts…And I wonder who _maaaade_ it hurt, _hmmm'

'**Stop being a wuss.**'

'Fuck. You.'

Rokubi chuckled but it turned to growling as she moved again. '**What are you doing? Stop moving and let her companions treat you when they take you to their home.**'

'Well_, smart one, how do you know they _will'

'**This girl will insist that they do, obviously, and so may the other team mates.**' Rokubi felt the human lift her eyelids minutely, a slick of sight being shown. Both of them saw the headband and its insignia. '**And she's a Konohagakure Nin. They're pretty easy to dupe and too trusting, unless they come form either the Uchiha or the Hyuuga clan.**'

'_Oh?_' Richochet replied as the footsteps were louder almost there. Her strength wasn't its' greatest so she let her eyes shut once more. '_And those two… _why?'

'**These are the overall top two clans in Konohagakure, extremely powerful.**' Rokubi explained quickly, deep words hurried as he tried to get her more info before these others could come and feel him. '**Both enemies and the Hyuuga have opal eyes while Uchiha have Sharingan. When we're on our own later, I'll show you. Good night.**'

She felt him fade from her mind, giving her a sense of peace as the chaotic scramble of her mind became soothing and less confused. Her eyes opened slowly as she looked up at the darkish sky of winter morn'. She pushed up from the rock, right hand holding on to her necklace instinctively and winced at the pain bursting up her spine.

A whimper escaped her as blades of pain slashed through her torso, but kept in the scream. She felt the energy heat from Tenten and realized her bloodline limit seemed to be on constantly. The pain died down as she concentrated on it. Three others came as she tried to stand up.

Tenten held her and pushed her back down to the sitting position, flinching from the glare she was sent. "Sorry, but you're weakened right now and most likely ill. Please don't move. I'm Tenten."

"Richochet." The sarcastic girl let off on her glare. Rokubi was the thing she was closest to trusting and if he said she may be treated and in turn gotten rid of the pain, then she wouldn't be as cruel to those who tried to help her.

As cruel, anyway.

Gai dropped in next to Richochet and Tenten and looked over them, kunai in hand. He slowly looked at the new girl who was staring at him defiantly, making his youthful heart flutter. "AH! We have found another who is as youthful as we are LEE!"

Lee jumped down next to him, making Richochet blink and move back in shock.

"YES!! We have Gai-Sensei!"

Where these two… related? Same strange clothes… Same strange looks… Same strange exuberance… They couldn't _not_ be related it just seemed so... wrong if they weren't.

"You're Richochet aren't you?!" They said at the same time with great big grins on their closed eyed happy expression. The only difference between them was age – she was sure of it.

She felt another human's life energy drop in silently on the other side of the clearing where she wouldn't be able to see him. She turned her head around to connect eyes with him and smirked mockingly, making his eyes narrow at her dangerously as a perilous light entered his eyes as well as something else… that was very intent.

She loved pissing people off – and this white eyed kid was…

'…**_Hyuuga have opal eyes_**…'

…A Hyuuga?

Her smirk stopped as she coughed and it brought up blood, making the other three, Tenten, Lee and Gai, gasp in shock as she grimaced at the blood on the rock and the blood mixed with saliva dripping from her lower lip and chin.

She licked her chin, drinking the blood back, shivering as she did so. Human meat and eating it she could handle. Drinking blood she could not. Some part of her did, and she knew it was the demonic part of her. The monster part. She felt disgusted at herself.

Richochet turned onto all fours and stood up but Tenten grabbed her arm again, gently. "Richochet-san, you must come back to Konoha to heal! You are seriously internally wounded and you have a fever! Neji can carry you – just…"

"I can heal…" She coughed with more blood coming up. Maybe she shouldn't have moved… "…By myself."

Gai put a hand up to his chin and closed his eyes, nodding to himself with a 'mmhmm' once every while, making the others stare at him oddly. "I will take her back to Konohagakure and you three come back with Mizu-Mizu!"

Richochet looked up. "You know…Mizu? Where is that annoying idiot?"

Lee gasped, eyes watering dramatically. "Mizu-Mizu is not an annoying idiot!" He ignored the snort from Richochet who then winced afterwards in pain. "She is a superb talker, drawer, singer…."

Richochet tuned him out and rolled her eyes, holding her chest with her left hand and then leaned heavily on Tenten.

'**Richochet. Use my energy to heal yourself. Forget about going to Konoha.**' Rokubi suddenly changed his mind? '**Yes, I have. I feel I can better teach you in the wild.**'

The quick witted and cunning girl knew he could, but felt he was planning something. However, she wasn't smart – just cunning, so she didn't know _what_ he was planning.

'_Forget about it?_' She chuckled lowly, quietly, but Tenten heard it and frowned at it. '_And let them see my healing capabilities? Like they'd let me off so easy…That's it. You want me to do so and gain a place to train, live and work so they can use this healing thing for others._'

'**Correct. And here I was thinking I was the clever one.**'

'_Fine. What now? I don't know how to heal. I don't even know where to begin._'

'**Yet, I do. Five tails taught me. And I will teach you…someday.**'

'_Che, yeah _someday_ being in years to come._'

She felt each of her own chakra holes, the tenketsu, over flow with energy and as she closed her eyes, she didn't realize that she was glowing an earthly, calm green of chakra healing. Her body quickly healed and though she may feel physically tired, her mind was alive and kicking, energized beyond anything she had ever felt.

It was exhilarating. She knew she have to build up her body's stamina so that if she was heavily damaged like this again she could instantly start up and get back in the game.

Gai and Lee stared at her wide eyed before looking at each other.

"Did you see that, Lee?!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei! Did you see that Gai-sensei?!"

"Yes, Lee! Did you see that awesome green glow?"

"Yes, Gai-sensei! Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Richochet's eyes widened in disbelief as a sunset immediately emerged behind them, sea waves roaring up. Just where the HELL did those waves come from? She shook her head.

Tenten was amazed. Not only did the girl heal herself, she had unwittingly healed Tenten as well. The grazes she had over her left side when Lee accidentaly hit her as they were training that one time had disappeared, and she felt happier than she had in a while.

"Thanks, Richochet-san." Tenten said gratefully, gaining a raised eyebrow from the still weak girl. "You healed me too."

"_Yeah_, like I _meant_ to do it." Richochet muttered, knowing she'd hear but not really care. "Damn Rokubi." Said demon chuckled in her mind, making her grimace. '_Hey you, for all I know, these people will take me there and bring me to my death. I wouldn't put it past them._'

'**Lose the cynical side you have – it's not pretty.**'

'_Gah, whatever._' Then she blinked as she stood up properly, not leaning on the frowning Tenten. '_Wait – why am I doing what you say?_'

'**I influence you immensely seeing as I recreated this body and its powers for this world.**' Richochet and Rokubi felt the power of the fourteen year old Hyuuga Neji grow near. '**The Hyuuga approaches and, as it seems, he doesn't look happy.**' And now they both felt four others approach. '**More?**'

Richochet looked at each of the four around her. She didn't trust any of them, had no reason to trust any of them, and wouldn't until further notice. Well, she wouldn't attack Tenten… much. The girl _did_ try and help her, and she wasn't heartless, just sarcastic and cynical.

She really should apologize to her for her rudeness… but for what? That Tenten girl had touched her necklace and in doing so brought immense pain to her – it didn't matter she didn't realize what would happen, she still injured her.

'**Cynical.**'

'_And I'm not one for saying sorry._'

'**Prideful – are you sure you aren't demonic?**'

'_You said you remade this body. So you tell me._'

Rokubi seemed to smirk and you could hear it in his words. '**Well, demonic people like you…You have a demon in you and you'll automatically connect with the other demon inhibitors because I do. In fact, I'm the friendliest demon among the whole nine, Shukaku next and then Kyuubi.**'

'_Lovely._' Richochet looked up at the five figures that appeared. One was a blond in a blue and orange jumpsuit; another was a guy in a black top and shorts and raven blue hair; another was a pink haired girl in a red training kimono with shorts; another was a male with grey…silver hair and what seemed to be a uniform typical to ninja and on his back was...

Mizu.

As the Hyuuga strode up next to Tenten, with a glare that Richochet promptly ignored as it was sent up, her eyes widened. "You gotta be shitting me. Not her…_pleeeease_ not her."

She looked up at Naruto, who looked at her, and a buzz shot through them both. '**Just saying hello to Kyuubi and he said hello back and welcomed me back to this world.**'

Richochet rolled her eyes. '_Fecking demons…_'

Then suddenly Mizu looked up from around the sideways styled hair and connected eyes with Richochet. Her whole face filled up with thankfulness and relief.

"RICHOCHET!!" She screamed making Kakashi wince.

The lava eyed girl reached behind her for the gloves that were always there, but only felt then pouch that held the blades.

Her eyes widened even more and flashed over to the gloves next to the rock she had used for a pillow and let a breathe of dismayed warm air out as she realized she wouldn't be in time to climb a tree and get away from the glompage of Mizu.

"Fuckers."

Neji watched in veiled amusement as the girl who had earlier mockingly smiled at him started to fret silently, hand clenching and unclenching. He saw it as an uneasy habit she had adopted when nervous. Or maybe it was something she did when she was looking for something and trying to find it.

Whatever it was, he was delighting in it quietly.

The white eyed Hyuuga thought she deserved for being so rude to him. Then again, she probably didn't know what clan he belonged to. Still, she hadn't had to be so mocking, so she warranted his dislike.

Yet, it was better than those stalkers he had. At least she didn't try to glomp him.

His opal eyes trailed from her eyes of intense lava to where she was looking. A pair of gloves? He put chakra into his eyes to enhance his vision to see what was so special about them.

There were suspicious metal slits which had something click into them in place. There was a metal plate on the back and there were smaller ones on the fingers that didn't interrupt the movement any. It was black with lava orange decorative patterns on them of weasels all over.

Weasels?

Most would go for legendary animals like dragons or phoenixes or even wolves or tigers. But weasels? He shook his head slightly in confusion as he walked over to them, ducking when Mizu jumped over to grab at Richochet as he bent down to grab them.

Richochet groaned as her tender body was slammed into a particularly bumpy tree. "Nnnngg." She groaned, nerve endings shrieking crazily like people do when a house was on fire and someone near and dear was trapped in side.

"I was s-s-so scared! I woke up and I was on my own and I was in this lake! I-I nearly drowned!"

Richochet actually felt a little pity for her. Waking up in a lake must have been a fright. Of course, that momentary fear she would have preferred any day over that pain she had been granted.

She took a cooling breather in before replying, looking up at the sky as a shaken girl, about to cry and snot all over her bloodied jumper. Talking off bloodied jumpers, she could hear, and feel, Mizu sniffing to the jumper.

"Ugh! That's blood!" Mizu yelped pathetically. Okay, well not really pathetically, but it seemed that way to her. "I thought it was water or sweat but…it's blood!"

"Great _going_ GENIUS!" She replied harshly, tone a snarl, making Mizu wince and draw back. '_Tell the whole group I'm about to die from lack of blood._' Richochet tried to stand up but faltered and fell back down to the icy ground, pained and not able to move. "You complete and utter cow."

'**If I heal you again you'll just collapse. Your body is too tender to survive even minimum usage of chakra now I've used the healing chakra once.**' Rokubi growled. '**If you move too much you'll be unconscious from lack of blood and other things. Your body is too overworked for being new in this world.**'

'_Shit._'

Her head was actually starting to feel light, making her dizzy and woozy as if drunk and just getting over a hangover at the same time. The black haired girl opened her eyes blearily, and she felt her lips thin in annoyance seeing her gloves in the Hyuuga's bandaged hand but at the same time she was quite glad.

Neji, she thought it was, wouldn't throw them away. In fact, he'd probably blackmail her and make her answer as to why they looked like that and then use that info against her somehow.

How would she know?

Well, she'd do the exact same thing.

"Wah! I'm sorry, Richochet!" Finally getting pissed off enough by this girl, Richochet pulled back a hand let the tops of her fingers touch the pads of the tops of her palm while letting her thumb just curl. "I really am sor-RRREEEK!!"

Growling, she smashed a hand fuelled by purple chakra smash into one of the tenketsu points around her shoulder area with the base of her palm and then let her own chakra flow into it, cutting off the three or four points surrounding it and making Mizu fly back a couple feet, before slamming back into the ground, said shoulder smashing against the rock pillow.

'**Not that I'm saying that worthless human didn't deserve it, but now you'll faint and might not wake up for quite a while.**' Rokubi injected, entertained. '**Oh and you've caught the attention of Sir Hyuuga, too. In fact, here he comes. He better not hurt you, pet.**'

Neji plunged the gloves he found into his shinobi's hip pouch in the empty compartment and stalked over to her, lifting her up by the overly large jumper she wore for her glazed over lava and red pupil-ed eyes to stare at his own suspicious opal pupil-less ones.

"That's Gentle Fist style."

"…_S…o…?_" She coughed out to him, glaring as best as she could, but it was really feeble. '_I might as well just smile at him, jeeze._'

"It's only for the Hyuuga clan to…" Neji trailed off as she slumped onto his chest, soaking his white clothing with her blood. He grimaced, but wondered what the hell happened to her.

"What'd you do to her, 'ttebayo!" Naruto cried.

Neji merely looked at him. "She fainted from loss of blood, idiot."

"O-Oh! I knew that, dattebayo!"

Neji just shook his head before turning to his quarry again. For some peculiar reason her necklace drew him to touch the soft and silky fur; he bent over to get a closer look, his warm breath fanning it the fur way and that, at the yellow lightning glossy coat surrounding her neck tightly.

He shook her so the others thought him trying to awaken her. Her head flopped on his left shoulder, her bounded upper body leaning against his muscled chest and left leg while his right arm lightly held her upper left arm as he kneeled on the right leg, starting to soak because of the ice that was cold against his warmth.

His hand touched the band of fur and extracted from her a very low purring growl that struck something in him. The fur was the softest he had ever touched and as he stood up with an arm around his back and an arm under her knees, he wanted to touch it again.

Quickly, he swung her around his body so he carried her piggy-back style, making it easier for him because of her exceedingly heavy weight. She must have weights on her because he almost toppled over. He tried ignoring the urge to wrap his hand around her furred neck, able to choke as well as show who the one in control was. Blinking these sudden thoughts away, he put it to annoyance that she had mocked him.

Yet he also ignored how he hadn't thought that to any one else who had mocked him, not even Naruto.

Odd.

Kakashi looked over lazily at him before nodding and looking over the other Genin and fellow Jounin. "Well, we might as well just go back home to Konohagakure. We completed our 'protect the citizen on his route back' and we just bumped into Mizu-san here. We brought your belongings by the way." He gestured to the packs on Naruto's and Sakura's backs. Sasuke denied carrying one profusely.

"Mizu-Mizu!" Lee cried out and gained her attention that she had been trying to get with crocodile tears and pouts. The only real thing that hurt was her shoulder – it felt _dead_. "I will carry you!"

She gave a watery smile, making Lee melt into a puddle of Lee. "Th-Thank you, Lee." She stood up and moved onto his back. Lee straightened up at Gai's grin and thumb up, giving a wink back.

Sakura and Tenten gagged at this, giving each other grossed out looks. Then they just smiled at each other and giggled slightly, covering their mouths with their hands.

Kakashi rolled his eyes at the two look-a-likes, A.K.A Gai and Lee, and then the two girls.

Sasuke just ignored them and eyed the girl in Neji's arms. '…_Hmm…_'

Naruto blinked at their non-communication, trying to figure out what wasn't being said. He cocked his head to the side, closing his eyes and crossing his arms, looking as though he was thinking heavily, as if solving the problem of world peace. He sighed and shook his head in dismay.

Girls.

They were so weird.

Why couldn't they be easier to understand…liiiike RAMEN?!

He opened his eyes and noted the clearing was empty.

"HEY, DATTEBAYOOOOOO!!! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIIIIIIND!!!"

* * *

Konohagakure was reached quickly and calmly. 

Well, calmly, enough.

"….So then I told him that he reaaaaallly should go and ask her out because she told her cousins best friends aunt's younger sisters next neighbour living across from me who then told _me_ that she liked him and…." Mizu nattered on like a squirrel or something along those lines while Sakura listened on in interested rapture.

Neji wanted to throw a shuriken across her neck, not to kill her, but to forever ruin that irritating voice cords. Her voice was nice, a little too childishly girly for his tastes, but still pretty nice with a sickly sweetness to it. It was nicer, at least, compared to Richochet's more lowered and pained one with sarcastic barbs in it.

And he wanted to kill Sakura just for _listening_ and finding this fool _fascinating._

With a smirk, he innocently dropped two of his shuriken so it stood straight up from the ground.

And straight in 'innocent' Mizu and Sakura's path.

As he walked into the main street with the others, he was immediately bombarded with the life style of his home. The dust under his feet crunched as he walked over it, reminding him he was home further.

"AAAAAHHH!! MY FOOT!!" A screech came from Mizu's lips and he turned his Byakugan on, holding Richochet to him tighter as not to drop her.

Lee cried out, "Oh no! Mizu-Mizu-chan! Who would have left a shuriken here?!"

'Shit.' He swore to himself in his mind as he saw Sakura pain free and healing the girl. 'I was close too.'

Moments later, Sakura healing the girl, everything was fine again.

'Damnit.'

Children laughed and played with each other and Neji's eyes skimmed over them filled with some longing emotion before he narrowed them in distaste at himself and looking forward. He never did have much of a childhood. Sure, he had some time to play with other children, but mostly it was filled with training.

Training was his form of entertainment. Believe it or not, he had _fun_ training. He _liked_ to test his body to its limits, but as of late he couldn't figure what else to with Kaiten and Gentle Fist.

Turning around the corner, he heard the conversation strike up with Mizu and where she came from. Deciding it was worth his time, he spent less energy brooding of his past and how to terrorize Mizu and Sakura and more to listening.

"Earth." Mizu giggled, apparently finding something funny, much to the confusion of the others. "Japan, Tokyo, to be precise."

"Oh? Where is that?" Sakura then asked politely, tone befuddled. "Is…it in the Country of Sand?"

The reply was equally puzzled. "Uh…What?"

"The Country of Sand." Sakura said a little louder, mistaking that she didn't hear. Neji however, heard the genuine note of not knowing what the hell that place was.

Pondering on that fact, Neji deliberately turned off his Byakugan and twisted around to his team mates and sensei. "I'm going to go to the hospital."

"Actually, Hyuuga-san," Kakashi spoke up before either of his team could reply, book out once again. "I think she just needs somewhere to sleep. When she awakens you could then take her to Tsunade-sama. It seems these two young women are lost. Very lost."

Mizu seemed suddenly stricken with something. '_I can't believe I forgot that…I _died_. As in no return from the dead. How does that girl put up with that fact? Has she even remembered?_' Her watery eyes wondered over to the limp form in the white eyed male's firm grasp. '_And she get's to be on dark and mysterious' hold. Lucky duck._'

Mizu was rather jealous of the girl, but pushed it back. Richochet always seemed to attract attention, and she didn't even want it! Mizu would love to have a characteristic like that!

Running a hand through her hair, ignoring the drooling looks Naruto and Lee sent her way unknowingly and also missing the roll of the eyes Neji and Tenten made at each other, she gave a sigh. "We're in Konha, right?"

"Nope, not Konha, Ko_no_ha."

"Oh…Well, that too."

Neji rolled his eyes again at the idiot girl. "Then I'll take her…to the branch house in the main housing." He was a little anxious as to what Hiashi-sama would do and say at this intrusion of a non-Hyuuga. Then again, if he explained that she had shown signs of the Gentle Fist style then maybe the Head would be a bit more interested in the guest.

Then again, maybe his interest would not be wanted. Hiashi may use her somehow in response for her using the Hyuuga's hospitality. She had somehow been able to see the tenketsu, he was nearly certain of it. The way her eyes moved was sign that she could sense them without having the Byakugan.

This girl was, seemingly, a threat to the Hyuuga clan.

One Neji felt he should deal with on his own.

After all, this girl may be able to help him further his training.

So maybe he should go to the hospital. Or maybe he'd arrange for Tenten to have her live with his team mate's family. Yes. That sounded far better than Hiashi.

"Um," Tenten spoke up, knowing Neji's adversity to his family. "How about I have Richochet live with me? I have enough room for one more…" She trailed off, unsure. Neji mentally thanked her for having him not ask in front of these people. He hated having to ask things when he could just do it.

Overlooking how she sounded uncertain and how his hand seemed to tighten around Richochet because of her connection to the Gentle Fist he gave a nod.

"Excellent idea!" Gai-sensei gave a wink and a thumbs up, once again in that ridiculous pose. "Tenten will take exceedingly great care for one of our new flowers!"

Sasuke grunted a goodbye and walked off to the hospital, looking moodier than ever. Tea country mission had sucked with that idiot Morino, the brother of the proctor examiner, Ibiki.

Sakura smiled. "Well, our missions over, so I have to go home and study. Bye!" She waved and rushed off quickly, no doubt actually to make sure Sasuke went to the hospital.

"Dattebayo! I gotta go too! Ja!" Naruto yelled and rushed after Sakura, an orange blur, "HEY! Sakura-chaaan! Wanna go have some raaaamen!"

"Naruto!" Lee cried at the back of the nine tailed fox demon. He quickly turned weeping eyes to his sensei. "Gai-sensei, I must go save my Sakura-chan!"

"Go on then, my cute student!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Tenten quickly jogged over and tugged on Neji's white top and pointed to the roof tops. He nodded silently and they went off quickly, Tenten leading him.

Kakashi sighed and placed a hand on Mizu's shoulder as she witnessed Gai and Lee hugging under a sunset…again. She pointed at the duo in confusion, and she patted down her school uniform. "Don't question it, just know it happens, ignore it, and you won't be confused."

"Oh…"

"We're going to Tsunade-sama."

"Who?"

"The Hokage."

"What?"

"She's is the leader of the ninja, protector of 'The Village Hidden in the Leaves'. Here, in other words." He rolled his eyes at her lack of knowing, but was also suspicious, though he kept it to himself, keeping on a bored look.

With a hand sign and a sigh, the silver haired Nin quickly grabbed her arm and poofed out to the Hokage's tower.

* * *

_Well, it's the bottom of the page (well, no duh) so, please review to say if you liked it didn't like it and if not, why, blah blah blah. _

_You know, the usual._

_Heh. Well, I back to reading 'The High Lord' third in the series of 'The Black Magician Trilogy' by Trudi Canavan. It's pretty good, but I've read something similar by Tamara Pierce ( The Lioness quartet) about three or four years back, so it's not as good._

_Tata and have a good new year._

_

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_

**R.

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	4. Chapter IV

_Whoop!: Another chappie up! It's been done for a while, but my laptop was kinda screwing up on me and wouldn't let me put these lines in._

_Love to..._

_Zero Asakura - Seadrance - Max - Nine Tailed Shadow Fox - Hibiki-chan - Moogle in Paradaisu - Jo._

_Big hugs to you all and thankies for the reviews!_

_Written to the Songs: These Days (Alien Ant Farm, repeatedly) Straight to Video Remix (fast track one by MSI)_

**

* * *

**

Chapter Four

* * *

Tenten finally found her house and turned to Neji as they got to the door. "We're kind of lucky no one's in." Opening the wooden door and blinking at Neji's raised eyebrow that gave a questioning look to her, she moved in and held the door open for him. "My brother's extremely loud and obnoxious."

He glided in effortlessly, something a weapons master like Tenten could only dream of having. Quickly closing the door behind her friend, even though he wouldn't admit to it, she swiftly took the lead again and showed the Hyuuga to her room.

The white eyed male had let his eyebrow drop a while ago as he looked around the place. There was quite a lot of red. The walls were a rich, warm, welcoming colour, beckoning you to relax and take a little time to look around you. The flooring was carpeted with creamy golden hue with some darker streaks of gold.

There was art along the walls and Neji didn't realize how well off his team mate had it. The place was certainly more tasteful than his own homes more simplistic but expensive style.

Taking off his zori's at the shoe changing area out of his respect for Tenten, he quickly stepped one bandaged and one non-bandaged foot into the slippers.

Tenten had already done the same, seeing as she hadn't a person to carry. '_Shall I let her rest in my room or the spare room?_' She frowned, unsure as to how long the girl would be knocked out – and she'd need a fresh pair of clothing too. Those bloodied ones wouldn't do. '_Well, not the spare one, big brother crashes there sometimes after going to the local club._'

Feeling expectant eyes on her and wincing before turning to her companion. "This way." She poked a thumb over her shoulder, turned up the stairs and heard as well as felt him follow quietly.

Neji paused for a second as he looked at two pictures when they went up the noiseless staircase.

One of them was of the four of them together. He was sitting, lotus style against the tree bark, facing the picture with eyes closed and arms crossed, ignoring the left hand of Tenten's on his right shoulder and the same for Lee's right hand, though a small smirk was present. She was smiling cheerfully with closed eyes and a wave while Lee was doing the same except for a thumb up. Gai-sensei was leaning against the left side of the tree, also grinning broadly with a large thumbs up.

He vaguely remembered the pink and blonde haired Kunoichi's having gone around taking hundreds of photos of everyone they knew. He had mastered one of the techniques of Kaiten that day and so had agreed, with a bit of persuasion of extra training from them all, to go with the idea of it. He even had a copy secretly folded up in his shinobi pouch's flap.

The other one was of a woman, who was the replica of Tenten, except with deeper brown eyes full of love and older too. Neji suddenly realized this was her mother. The one person she had never spoken of. Even Neji had spoken once of his mother, but Tenten had not. He briefly wondered what soreness had been given to that subject.

"…Hmm…" Moving hastily on before Tenten caught him being interested in anything but training and ruining his reputation for being emotionless at best, he was right behind her again and at the door.

"Thanks Neji, but I can handle it from here." Tenten smiled happily. Seeing him hesitate with the girl in his arms as he touched the furred necklace with the arm around her upper body, she raised her eyebrows. "I'll have to change her clothes."

'_How can Neji touch that thing on her neck without her screaming?_' The brown haired girl thought with a blink and then saw Neji move. Holding her gently as Richochet was moved into Tenten's grasp, the Japanese girl was shocked to find how heavy she was. "Weights?"

"You'll have to remove them…"

"Yeah…" Tenten nodded. "You're staying here, aren't you?"

"Only until she wakes." He corrected and felt his eyes move to the picture on the wall again, the woman's loveliness making him frown.

"Well, you can help yourself to anything in the kitchen. See you in a bit." Neji opened her bedroom door and then turned around, down the stairs once more.

Walking into her room, Tenten knocked the door close with her heel quietly and put the girl on the ground, leaning her against the wall lightly as not to harm the girls' tender body. Tapping silently over to the wardrobe the same colour and texture as the flooring with mirrors on the doors, she hurriedly took out one of her dresses that were a replica of her top but longer with slits at the side, and a pair of shorts that were baggy and some white socks too.

Dropping the clothing next to her, she seized off the bloodied baggy blood coloured and blood covered jumper and put it on the floor. Tenten's eyes widened and she gagged. "Ugh!" Her body was drenched with sweat, blood and tears and she smelled of mud and mucky grass contaminated water from that lake. It wasn't the nicest smell around either.

Strange that Neji was oblivious to it seemingly.

Personally, she couldn't stand it.

Just what happened to this girl before she found her lying for dead?

Opening the door next to her bed, she walked in and quickly filled the tub with warm water and put in some feminine scented bubble bath herbs for good measure. Walking back into the room, she found Richochet looking around blearily. She sighed in relief. She wasn't too keen on washing a random stranger's body.

Tenten walked over slowly, as not to make any sudden movements. It was likely the girl was dizzy and had a headache, too. Calling softly, her tone was low as she said her guests' name, "Richochet-san?"

Richochet looked up, lava eye betraying her emotions. She was confused, disorientated and also angry. It was one thing to another with her wasn't it? First she was waking up in a strange land, going through immense pain, watching a bunch of identical buffoons in – scarily scarring romantic – action, and dumped in some random girls home.

She was _not_ a happy bunny. Still.

"Ten…ten?"

"I'm glad you remember me. The stress to your body may have affected your brain." She said calmly, trying to remember what Gai-sensei had said as he seemed to know what he was saying at most times. "So you may have forgotten things."

"Forgotten? Like I could do something as _simple_ as to _forget **that**_." The lava eyed girl said through gritted teeth. Seeing Tenten's somewhat hurt look, she calmed her ire down. "Sometimes I say things I don't mean…I'm confused right now, so I'm going to be worse than ever."

This was all the apology Tenten was going to get.

And lucky for Tenten's own self, the weapons master knew how to interact with these people – you had to learn when around Neji and when he goes into his odd moods.

"It's fine." Considering the look she got, she gave a coaxing smile. "Really. I understand. I wouldn't want to wake up in the middle of nowhere and in pain like you were and then surrounded by strangers. I'm running a bath, why not go in there -" The teenager pointed to the room next to her large bed, "-and warm yourself up. And give yourself a good clean too. You stink."

Richochet smelt herself and grimaced. Looking to the weapon master, she gave the girl a thoughtful look, penetrating her soul with her eyes. It made Tenten feel uncomfortable as well as though she was having the weight lifted off her shoulders. It seemed as though every burden Tenten had carried was given over to Richochet and Tenten felt slightly happier with life in that one moment.

Helping Richochet up, she brought in the clothes and placed them on the toilet as Richochet followed groggily. "These are the shampoos, conditioners and this moisturizer keeps ninja skin strong and supple and, most importantly for Kunoichi, soft. It also has a healing and soothing balm in it for injuries." She pointed first at the dark red bottle, the light red bottle and then the white one.

"I owe you one."

"The hair brush is in the medical box on your right and the towel underneath it."

Richochet just nodded and took off her clothes, uncaring Tenten was there. They were both female. What did it matter? Though she did see the girl look away in embarrassment. The weights were soon stacked up next to the toilet and clothes and bandaged in another pile.

Grabbing the clothes and the gauze, Tenten quickly rushed out, as Richochet stepped into the warm bath, turning off the hot and cold water taps.

She yanked at the necklace gently. '_Why won't this thing come off?_' She fiddled with the heart inside the glass circle outside.

'**You want to be separated from your heart?**' The demon said as softly as he could.'**You'll feel utmost depression and angst until someone has it.**'

'_Oh bloody hell._' She sighed, getting used to the heat of the water. '_I can't take it off if you say _that_, now, can I?_'

'**No...However, on a lighter note… It seems my plan has worked.**' Rokubi spoke up.

'_Whoop-dee-doo. Kudos to you._' She soaked her hair and grabbed the deep red coloured bottle, squelched some out and lathered it up in her hair.

'**Ah, you're so happy with my plan's success that you even rhyme for me.**' Rokubi chuckled as she vigorously rubbed the lather suds into her knotted, mottled with dirt hair. '**How thankful I should be. Oh, a little to the right...Ah, there's the weasel ear sweet spot. What do you plan to do now?**'

Using some lather from her hair, she cleaned her body thoroughly. '_Me? Plan? You're the one who came up with the plan to get me here – I would have thought you would have another _successful_ plan._' She mocked him and rinsed out the shampoo, glad she now smelled more like Lychee and cherry and her hair wasn't as disgusting as before. '_Lost your wits?_'

'**I cannot do everything for you, lazy pet.**' The demons' tails' wagged from inside his cage, thunder bolting about his tails calmly, voice slow and happy. She grabbed the conditioner this time and squelched more out. '**And for loosing my wits? Who is the one groggy and faint headed? That fragrance is beautiful, little pet.**'

'_Who made me that way, huh?_' She lathered her hair once more and started conditioning the strands.

'**Not I, to be sure. If we would have come here earlier, the same thing would have happened. This was supposed to happen at your birth but fate demanded otherwise.**'

'_Say what?_' Richochet asked, wanting to rinse out after a few minutes wait.

'**The greatest and easiest way for a fighter like you to get a living is through Nin-hood. You should become a Ninja. Hunter-nin or Healer-nin would go well with you. I want you to become a Ninja.**'

'_Well, maybe I could be a policewoman instead._' She said, slightly indignant. '_Ninja's don't exist unless in a martial arts school and they are certainly not the easiest way on Earth._'

'**Well,**' Rokubi rumbled out his words in amusement. '**It's a good thing we're not on Earth.**'

Richochet's mouth opened in alarm, about to lean back to rinse the conditioner. "You're kidding me."

'…'

'_Holy_ SHIT!'

'**You have a whole new way of living to look forward to. Have fun.**' He disappeared from her mind and she closed he mouth, eyes glaring at the cool blue tiles next to the bath tub she was seated in.

"God fucking damned it." Rinsing out the conditioner and squeezing her hair from excess water, she leaped out, grabbed the nearest towel, quickly dried her self and proceeded to dress. Deciding to ignore the weights for now – they shouldn't move anyway, they didn't have bloody legs – she dried her damp hair with the used towel as best as she could and then brushed it.

'_I don't _**want **_a new way to live! I liked my old one!_' She winced as she tugged a little _too_ hard on the brush in her hair.'_You have a hella lot to answer for, demon._'

The only reply was a somewhat heavy silence in her head, and a roll of thunder in her body that only added to her ire, instead of soothing her, like thunder now should do.

Well, that's what Rokubi said anyway.

Damn six-tailed demon.

Damn.

Damn!

DAMN!

She wanted to rant and rave and throw things and destroy to make her slightly happier than she was when she felt like this. Yet, she was tired, weak and exhausted. Her body craved sleep, needed its energy revitalization.

Grabbing her book bag and tugging it on her back, Richochet's eyes caught the mirror above the sink. '_I don't look different, apart from my eyes and being drop dead tired, but I feel like I do._' Her hair was still the elbow length that she hated, soft and smooth with a wild feel to it. '_It's strange…_' Her eyes freaked her out though. The black dot in the middle was blood red. '_The demon perhaps? Are all demons' eyes' red?_'

She opened her mouth and saw that her canine teeth were, very slightly, more pointed than before.

The usual air of mocking around her had changed to something more… intense.

Cunning.

Intimate.

Dangerous.

Or perhaps… **demonic**?

Yes, she was definitely different here than on Earth.

In a few words, her aura had changed from 'cunningly mocking and searching' to 'cunningly intimate and dangerous'.

Something panged in Richochet to know more and more about herself. To know more about the world she inhabited. To understand and stabilize herself was top priority right now. Some semblance of control was necessary to her. If she was any deeper than she was now she'd blow up.

If she wasn't that tired, that is.

The need for knowledge, to feel more in control was clawing at her more. Her self-preservation was indestructible. If she didn't know where the hell she was, who the hell these people were and what the society demanded, then she would learn and learn it quick and well before even thinking of sleeping.

Or when facing a problem, make excuses and turn away with her dignity intact.

A Seishou didn't run away when faced with a problem, they dodged it and used everything necessary to make it go smoothly and understandably and even make the problem sympathize if it were a person. All Seishou were cunning and it ran deep in her too. She wasn't that smart, just having a slightly above average.

Then again, her pride usually got in the way of that lovely personality mark Seishou had. If someone was to say, 'Oh, I understand…' then any normal member of her family would have smiled 'gratefully'.

No, _she _would do something else that would tick that person off. That was _her_ personality trait, but not her main one. She wondered what her one actually was, if it was something nice…

Yeah _right._

She was the one who liked pissing people off and then worm her way out of it as if it were a game. Most of the time she didn't worm herself out, it usually just _happened_.

And _usually_ she wouldn't kill herself, find that a demon inhabited her, and get transported into another world.

She felt she had a right to be crabbier than usual.

And so she would be.

Hell, dying did that to you.

* * *

**_These days are so great, there's work to do... _**

**_Would you like to work with me? I'd love to work you..._**

* * *

Neji gave a puzzled look to Tenten at least twenty minutes later as she leaned against the working washing machine, red in the face.

"…?"

Tenten looked up at him. "Don't ask. Just know she's having a bath, those weights are pretty heavy for an inexperienced fighter as herself, and that she doesn't have much shame."

Neji didn't blink as he stared at her. '_Huh_._ So she was too tired to care that she was undressing in front of someone who is as modest as Tenten? I guess she really is inexperienced. Though, that doesn't seem right. Her chakra levels are too high. Uncontrolled, like Naruto's, but still unconditionally high._'

"I wonder where she lives…"

That was one of the questions of the hour. They knew next to nothing about the girl, yet they had let her and her loud, obnoxious and irritating companion in Konohagakure, given her a place to sleep, clothes and even a bath fit for a Lady of one of the Lands. They didn't have to do that. They could have just let her rot there.

Neji knew he would have done so, if not for the fact that Tenten had been worried. And more for the important fact that she seemed to know something of the Gentle Fists' actual _technique_ and not about how it was done like others knew, like Lee knew.

It was possible to copy their style, but without the Byakugan to see the points, it was pretty useless, so most went for Iron Fist instead as it was more reliable than the guessing Gentle Fist.

Yet, for this slip of a weak girl to have that much uncontrolled chakra – that only _he_ had seen with the Byakugan – and for her to be able to pin point tenketsu…

He felt as though the Hyuuga bloodline limit had been intruded upon after generations of it belonging to the Hyuuga's alone.

Neji had given it some thought to this and came up with another feeling.

He also felt it was his duty to make sure she didn't wreck the amazing style of Gentle Fist with her feeble attempts. He was proud of what he had found so far without the help of the main family, rejecting his oldest cousins pleas to help him, feeling him to be her brother.

So Neji would teach Richochet.

With or without Richochet's consent, she would be taught Gentle Fist.

First to see Tsunade, though.

She would have to become a Genin.

Or maybe it was better that no one knew of his to be student?

When strong enough, she could go on missions with him, and since she didn't exactly live here, she could travel where ever and Tsunade could not do a thing about it if she were to follow…

Neji shook his head.

This was too much thinking.

He'd train her and that was that.

Done.

Footsteps were heard vaguely and both turned to see feet coming down the stairs, then legs, torso and finally an angered but tired face. Tenten grinned at the clothing, noting it was just a little bit tighter at some points due to Richochet being more developed, but happy they looked good on her.

"Oh, thank Kami you didn't drown in the bath!"

"Kami, huh?" She had always preferred the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses to her own ones, oddly enough. Bastet had been her own favourite one she would pray to. It was why the tiger tattoo had been printed on her, inked lovingly. Bastet could turn into a tiger for protection of the Pharaoh when in war.

Yet, now it was taken over, made to look like a weasel and the weasel even had six tails, like the demon inside her had.

'_Damn it._'

If people knew she had one of the only nine demons alive in this world, what would they think of it? What would they think of her? Would they be happy for her that she had power to protect them? Jealous they didn't have the power she had? Fear that she would turn into a bloodthirsty animal? Be disgraced they had to live with such a beast like her?

Believe it or not, words truly did hurt a person as much as sticks and stones, whether you wanted them to or not.

_And_, believe it or not,she didn't _want_ this demon inside her now she was aware it was in her. She didn't want the power it gave her. She would much prefer to be a more…_human_ person and would prefer to get her own power.

It was so much simpler not having to deal with any demon crap. She would rather be weaker and go through normal thirteen going on fourteen shit that other girls had, like growing up, puberty, new responsibilities, hard exams, having a first crush even!

But no.

She would have to deal with a crazy control freak of a Grandfather.

She would have to deal with a demon that could take control of her body at will.

She would have to deal with being in a new world with new concepts to it.

These were the rotten lemons life had thrown at her, and she'd have to make do.

'_I can safely say to most people that my life sucks worse than yours._' She thought cynically, eyes dark. '_And now my '_inner voice_' wants me to become a ninja_.' Richochet looked from Neji to Tenten, then closed her eyes and crossed her arms, thinking. '_Che, I'd probably die on the first mission compared to these guys who are trained better. Fuck, my psychologist would have _a field day_ with _this_ one!_'

Then a thought came to her. '_What would Shoko want you to do?_' A sense of sorrow overcame her.

Shoko… She missed her so much…

Her lava eyes snapped open as a hand, calloused and larger than her own grabbed her upper arm.

Neji had enough of her going into her own thoughts and brooding, even though he did so a few minute prior to her coming down the stairs. He didn't know exactly, but he had picked up on the fact she was thinking of them by the flickering aim of her eyes on them and didn't want her getting any ideas.

She was still an unknown and Neji didn't like unknowns thinking of ways to plot his and his teammates' demise.

Neji protected what was his. Especially when it was his body. And right now, his body was flaring with heat at the touch of her warm skin having just come from the bath. His eyes frowned at his hand and then traveled down her arm to see her unconsciously grasping the orb at the end of the chained necklace.

Looking back up into her vaguely curious and suspicious eyes and felt a little odd. He didn't like her eyes looking like that while at him. "You're coming with me. We're going to see the Hokage, Tsunade."

Richochet rolled her eyes and crossed her arms trying to get out of the Hyuuga's grip but failing. "Yeeeah, like some random woman is going to _want_ to help _me._" She contemplated trying a Judo move on the idiot just to get her arm free, but he'd probably find a way to counter it.

Ninja's.

Puh.

Tenten stood up from sitting next to the washing machine. "Of course she'll help!" Admiration shone in her eyes. "She's the leader of the ninja's in all of Konohagakure and the Country of Fire!"

There was a small silence.

"Uh-huh…That means absolutely nothing to me." Richochet noted the way Tenten deflated some. "If you say she is who she is though…" She left off and Tenten nodded again, happy once more. A smirk lifted her lips. "Very well. I'll allow you to bring me to her." She knew she was too tired to go looking around and this was an excellent time to have her pride intact and still have help.

She loved being a Seishou.

Tenten rolled her eyes with a smile. She was slowly becoming used to Richochet's prideful yet easy ways. While she saw that Richochet was still dog tired – or weasel tired depending on the tattoo she had seen on her thigh earlier – Neji would probably only hear the pride.

'_Arrogant woman._' His eyebrow twitched. '_Who is she to demand like that?_' He just dragged her to the front door and tugged on his sandals. He noted that she had put her boots on from upstairs, laces undone. Was that _blood_ on those metal parts? He looked away and winced.

He couldn't stand untidiness and this girl looked the epitome of it. Her hair was messily tugged back, clothes still in a bit of disarray and laces undone as if she were some wild woman. Yet she was still presentable to anyone.

Tamed Wildness.

That was an oxymoron that suited her quite well.

"Can't you lace up your own laces on your shoes?" Neji sighed, somewhat demeaning in his tone.

Richochet blinked and looked down at them. Deciding to be truthful, she just shrugged. "…No…" In fact, she was never taught how to as a child, so she never laced them up. She would have laced them in some kind of knot, but them she'd have to buy new laces after ripping the others off.

Huffing he bent down and pulled her down on the floor. "Watch and learn."

He grabbed the silver laces and jerked tightly as Richochet watched in fascination. He crossed them, pulled one under the other and jerked them again. Putting a finger on the crossed part he made a hoop with one and then with the other lace, pulled it under and over through the bottom of the hoop so there was two hoops.

His fingers were skilled, using to carrying and controlling different things. It was a process that took seconds but she probably couldn't do the same the first time she would do it. He crossed the two hoops like he had done with the laces on their own at the beginning.

He looked up with a slight annoyance in his eyes. "Done. Now can you do the other one?"

"No…I think I need to see it again to truly get the hang of it."

Neji narrowed his eyes at her blank questioning ones. She knew he'd be suspicious if she gave the innocent ones, so she went with the questioning eyes of why he wasn't carrying on.

"Fine." As he stopped down to do the lace on the other boot, she let her head turn as she heard footsteps and gave a smirk to Tenten. "_Look_ when I'm helping you."

Turning back she looked down at the laces a little amused smile tilting her lips slightly making Neji scowl and huff once, carrying on. Then her amusement turned her smile up into a smirk again.

Laces done, Neji grabbed her toned arm, heaved her light body up and looked at her sternly, expecting with that one look that she would do as he say.

He didn't realize it wouldn't work.

"You may escort me now." She smirked wider at him. Tenten playfully shoved her forward as he turned and let her collide with his back. He hefted her up, hurting her tender body. "Hey, watch it, opal eyes!"

Neji blinked and pulled his head forward so his hair wouldn't be trapped under her. "…Opal eyes? Lovely insult."

"Aw, hush it. So, we gonna stand here all day or what? Chop, chop!" She pointed to the door, ignoring the poisonous glare he turned on her. "Go, valiant steed!" The black haired was promptly dropped on her behind.

"Show some respect." Neji wasn't going to be treated like some common mule. "I have to carry your lazy carcass there."

Grumbling, Richochet turned to Tenten. "Later, I s'ppose."

'**Be nice, pet.**'

'_I'm not speaking to you._'

She found herself pushed up to wall, with Neji slammed against her front, flush against her. She could feel every muscle, every inch of him and it wasn't helping with Rokubi's taunting laughter in her head as Neji forced a knee between her thighs to keep her trapped there. "**Girl.**"

His face was so close that she couldn't look at anything else.

'**I wonder if he's your husband to be? He certainly likes being close to you…**'

'Hell_, no_.'

'**Oh? But I believe he feels differently.**' Rokubi thought to himself, hiding it from her. '**Then tell me, why is your heart glowing slightly?**'

"Don't ignore me." The Hyuuga growled, and then felt a curious warmth from just below his sternum. He pushed back; let his eyes look down at the intriguing necklace as it elicited a strange sensation in him. Shaking his head, happy enough she knew he was serious, he grabbed her under the knees and back. "Let's go."

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_Richochet: The next should hopefully come out soon when I double check it for grammer and stuff._

_Please leave a review! What do people thin of my character and her unwanted demon?

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_

**R.**

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	5. Chapter V

**Ello!**

_I'm a tad disappointed I didn't get as many reviews as before, but never mind! I'll just try harder!!_

_My love to..._

**Zero Asakura** - **Moogle In Paradaisu** - **Hibki-chan**

This was written to the music... _Inner Universe (Ghost In The Shell)_ - _Shut Me Up (MSI - I listen to them too much -.-;) - Lilium (Elfen Lied)_

_Give me new hilarious bands to listen to! Please!_

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter Five**

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Mizu blinked her eyes from the sulphur like smell that overloaded her senses and sneezed. Her head hurt badly, pounded with aching dizziness. She glowered poutingly at the silver haired Jounin but he ignored it, face covered by an orange book as well as the usual navy mask.

She lost the glare, a bit dumbfounded as to where it could come from. Then she narrowed her eyes and read the front cover 'Make-Out Paradise' and then blinked. That book with the man chasing that scarcely dressed woman looked as almost as if it could be a… _porn_ book.

No.

He wouldn't.

Would he…?

…Would

…He?

She moved back a bit, as if to protect herself from the perverted-ness that was Kakashi.

Yeah, he would.

Ew.

They were in some kind of corridor in front of a door. There was a couple seats beside the door, red and plush looking. Kakashi motioned to one as he leaned back against the wall, a small blush on his features as he giggled.

The scared looking Mizu hurried to sit on the seat farthest away.

Kakashi blinked, moved his head as his one eye looked at her. Then he shrugged as she huddled back in the chair, watching him cautiously, and went back to his book.

'_Weird…silver haired…perverted…man…thing._' She insulted him in her mind. '_I wish Richochet were here so she and I could talk about Mito liking Sara…I know she'd enjoy that talk…_'

The poor, ignorant, fool.

At least a good half an hour later…

"Kakashi?" A feminine voice drawled slightly and Mizu was reminded slightly of Richochet's voice. Though this voice was far more adult and less childlike similar to what the two girls had.

Two men walked out quickly, scroll being pushed up into the makimono pouch in one of the men's shirt.

"Let's go in now."

Getting up, the long haired beauty quickly followed with a skip in her step because she was too good to walk normally like any person would do, and entered the large green painted room with large windows behind the woman at the back.

'_What horrible slouch this man has!_' She thought distastefully at Kakashi's back that was bent over, hand in pocket sloppily. '_His back in later life will murder him for it._'

Mizu looked up to the woman who had spoken. It was a rather large breasted woman behind a desk. She wore a long green coat over a thin light grey kimono top and she couldn't see was she had on underneath due to the desk, but Mizu could almost certainly tell she had heels on. The green eyed girl's fashion-conscious mind predicted so.

That and she saw the heels from under the table.

She seemed bored almost and as Mizu saw her looking at the stacks of paper's she had yet to look at properly, she hated to do this type of work, apparently.

Her blond hair pulled into two low ponytails moved as she looked over the new person.

Tsunade felt somehow uneasy with this person, this girl, and took to threading her fingers together and hiding half her faced behind them as her elbows leaned on the table.

"You haven't got this girl _pregnant,_ have you, Kakashi?" She tested trying to get some information out of the Ninja under her command. "And have you seen Gai? He was supposed to have returned yesterday, but with his team, I was expecting even earlier."

Kakashi just looked at her from hiding behind his book. "Of course I haven't. Gai found her, rather, he explained to me that his student, Lee, did. Gai, as you can easily work out, is back."

Tsunade narrowed her warm honey eyes. They found this beautiful, but stupid looking girl, huh? She immediately sensed something else. "So, his student found this one girl-"

Kakashi coughed into his hand, interrupting her, making the Hokage's lips thin. "Uh, two. And Mizu, that's her first name, here knows the second girl. Richochet…I think?" He turned his head a fraction to the long haired girl.

"I'm Chikoto Mizu and my friend is Seishou Richochet." Mizu smiled politely at her, innocence shining through. "Though, I sometimes wonder if she wants to be my friend… I think she insults me sometimes…"

Kakashi and Tsunade sweatdropped. '_I _think' They thought at the same time, looking at the girl who was staring at the ceiling in thought, a considering look on her face.

"So, where are you from?" The Hokage questioned, knocking the girl out of sudden thinking. "You definitely don't look like a Fire Country member…" Tsunade stared at her strange uniform. It was pinky red, kind of like Tsunade's apprentices' own and had a strange short skirt and a square hanging on her back.

"Oh, this is my school uniform." She brushed some dirt off quickly and giggled in embarrassment, cheeks reddening. "And I come from Tokyo in Japan, on the planet Earth."

"That doesn't exist." The blonde rolled her eyes in irritation.

Mizu frowned. "Yes, it does!"

"Uhh... Huuuh..." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, sighing as she looked back at her work. "Look kid, don't waste my time. I have enough work to do without you here. Go back home to your parents and quit lying, especially to people of my status."

"Richochet comes from Earth too!"

"You persist in this, don't you?" Tsunade shook her head. "Fine. I'll judge to see if this 'Richochet' is more competent than you and whether I'll believe you. Kakashi, go and get Richochet."

"Ah, she's unconscious." Then he blinked and felt Neji and Tenten's energy coming, as well as the new girl's own. "Yet, Neji is bringing her and Tenten accompanies them."

The blonde haired Hokage just shook her head. '_What a waste of my time. Earth? Another Planet? Please._' She snorted and got on with the paperwork she had in front of her. '_This is just a hoax to piss me off. And even Kakashi's in on it._' Her eyes drifted up to the lost and forlorn looking Mizu. '_Yet…_'

"Um, Richochet's not as competent as I am. Last year, I got the highest marks in the school year while Richochet got about fortieth. I'm pretty sure she cheated too." Mizu frowned, appalled with what she said. "I'm a better dancer and drawer and singer and-"

Hokage raised her hand in the stop motion. "Okay, okay, enough. She cheated?"

"Well, no one really knows…but I think she did." Mizu nodded sadly and missed the amused look shard between the Hokage and the Jounin. "She's that good really… She thinks too much though…"

Tsunade leaned forward again, curious. "And why is that?"

"Richochet isn't smart but she can get the information she wants out of anybody. She always has connections somehow. She might not be popular like me in the school, and a heck load of people were creeped out by her for some reason, but people just _know_ her."

The Hokage leaned on her left side and picked up her tea that was situated next to the ink pot. '_Okay, I'm thinking as if I actually want this Richochet and this Mizu girl in front of me as Nin. Why am I interested if 'she' could blend in well? Apparently, she doesn't and Ninja must adapt to their surroundings, not the other way around. _

Kakashi saw the deciding look on her face and frowned. The Hokage was going along with this? They could be special force Nin from another land sent to infiltrate them… Or worse…

Though they genuinely may be what they say they were.

Aliens.

The scarecrow wanted to burst out laughing, but held in the tempting compulsion. Aliens. How ridiculous that thought was.

'_Though, Mizu would be a good, Kouin-Nin (seduction ninja) and Richochet an Anbu member._' He noted. '_If what this random girl is saying she and the other one can do that is. Right now, my belief is barely a percentage. Then again…I can't feel their chakra and with the Sharingan that can see through Genjutsu…_'

Just what was going on with these two?

"Also, Richochet healed herself, Gai told me." Kakashi's eyes lingered on the lavender diamond on the woman's forehead. "He said she glowed with the healing chakra to such proportions that it healed Tenten who was standing next to her."

Tsunade blinked in shock, head moving back with her shock as if to show the blow it had on her. "Healing chakra is only supposed to heal the chosen target, not everything around it. In fact, if…" Tsunade didn't finish the sentence, instead she thought it.

'_If you have healing chakra stored like mine then it's supposed to go through each tenketsu. This person would have to be part of the Hyuuga clan to do so._' She looked at her tea, sloshing around the glass as she moved it around anti-clockwise. '_Or a genius at the body and knowing where the points are, like I am. Yet, to do so and find the chakra points of another and infiltrate them when injured is amazing._'

Mizu stared up at the two people. '_Well, of course they're going to let _me_ stay; I mean I'm Chikoto Mizu! I'm that pretty, that nice, that perfect that they just _HAVE_ to let me stay! I wonder if they'll let Richochet stay... OH! And we can be Ninja too! I'll be the best within just a month! You just watch._'

Who she was talking to, we have absolutely no idea, but she seems to have something wrong with her brain. At least Richochet reluctantly houses a demon that can talk to her.

…Wait; is that even a good thing?

A knock sounded the door, but was then opened roughly by a slightly pale hand with bandaging on as the right door of the double doors flew open.

"_Ne_ji!" The female whispered harshly. "This is the Hokage's office! _And_ she's inside!"

The Hyuuga just rolled his eyes. "Hmph." Striding inside with a person on his back, her head flopped on his right shoulder; he looked up at the situation at hand.

"A-A-Ah I'm sorry!" Tenten bowed in apology for Neji's rude behavior. "But we've brought Richochet. Um, the circumstances have been explained, right?" The twin bun haired girl looked up curiously for the answer.

Tsunade waved the apology away. She knew she should be harder on the Hyuuga and the whole thing with these girls is irritating her beyond belief, but, she would let it slip once.

This whole Alien thing was amusing her slightly. Only slightly though.

"Yes, they have been explained, Tenten-chan." Tsunade nodded and watched as Richochet slowly slumped out of Neji's firm, somewhat careful hold. She raised an eyebrow at that.

Neji, being careful with someone? Careful with a _girl_?

Things _were_ changing as they grew older. Pity Naruto was so damn _hyperactive_ and not just energetic. It'd give them all a breather. Though, Naruto un-hyper would be seriously worrying. The kid was hyper even when he was _ill_ for god sakes.

Richochet looked at the people in the room. Herself, Neji, Tenten, Kakashi and Mizu. Then her creepy eyes set on the lady behind the desk – Tsunade, the Hokage, stared back at her.

'**Well, this is it. This lady is known even among us Demon Nine.**' Rokubi said out of the blue. '**The Legendary Sucker, Tsunade, one of the three Legendary Sannin.**'

'_Thanks, but shut up. I'm pissed off at you._'

'**Still? Ever heard of 'forgive and forget'?**'

'_Ever heard of grudges, weasel?_'

'**Funny human. A grudge against yourself?**'

'_If you were here right now, I'd slice you up with my blades._'

Rokubi laughed mockingly. '**Do you even have your blades? You have no gloves on…**'

'Fuckers.' She cursed violently at herself and at the stupid demon. '_Damnit! I'm grudging against you. Go away and shut up already!_'

"I've heard some things about you…" The Hokage said and Richochet took immediate attention, even though she leaned against the wall to hide it. Well, not so much as lean, more like slump because she was so weak and tired.

"Oh _really_? I'm _so_ honored." Richochet smirked in amusement, eyes glittering. Her eyes trailed to Mizu, and mild annoyance instantly replaced amusement. She noted Tsunade clenching her fist before taking a breath and relaxing once more. "What the _hell_ did you tell these people?"

"Only what was necessary." Kakashi spoke up for her. "We needed to know if you were an enemy."

'**Enemy…? Well, you'd be one, wouldn't you Richochet? I'm in you and I would be thought of as 'enemy' wouldn't I? Oh well...**'

Richochet picked up something in the sentence. "If you were an enemy?'…" She let the words roll from her tongue as if tasting them, looking at her hands, calloused from blade handling. "Don't you mean… 'If you two were enemies?' Does that imply that I'm a threat? Does that imply that Mizu is not? Does that imply that Mizu is weak? Or does that imply that I'm more distrustful? How can you _judge me_ if you don't _know me_?"

'**I forgot you had the tendency to question something when it's nothing.**' Rokubi grumbled. '**It's so irritating…I prefer the cynical side…Wait, you're kind of being cynical there… You're trying to analyze again. You've been to so many psychiatrists; you try and interrogate others without realizing.**'

Kakashi blinked and then nodded. "Eh, sure…"

"Go and get Morino Ibiki." Tsunade raised her eyebrows and a small smile settled on her lips as Kakashi disappeared. "Ever thought of joining a debate team?"

Richochet grimaced and turned away. "And be surrounded by many loud idiots and not just some? Yeah, right. Why do you think I should join a debate team? These are just opinions I have collected, sorted and made my own out of. It seems as though you've agreed with my questions and opinions, so why call upon someone else?" Inside she was blinking. '_Who the hell is Morino Ibiki?_'

'**An interrogator?**'

'_Oh, what a great life. Another psychologist._' She replied sardonically, momentarily forgetting she was angry at him. It was kind of hard to stay angry at him since he was inside of her, and one half of you disagreeing with the other _kiiind_ of made you a psycho.

"To interrogate me? Can't you do that yourself? You seem disbelieving enough so I doubt you'd be any good. You have to keep an open mind, but at the same time it has to closed. I doubt you'd get that done however. Then again, you agree with my questions and opinions so you must have some semblance of an open mind, as well as pathetically following as if part of a flock of sheep. Why do you do that?"

"It's familiar."

"Familiarity may be unsafe. You'd willingly put yourself in unsafe places just for familiarity when the unknown offers so much more?"

"Alright." Tsunade glared but let it cool off. "If you really do come from…" Tsunade left off from her sentence looking at Mizu and then looked at Richochet. "Where do you come from?"

"I was born in England, but really I'm Japanese, from Tokyo." Richochet wasn't happy her psychological rant had been abruptly closed. Yet it had worn her out. It had made her more tired than ever.

A man walked in, having heard apparently. "And where is that?"

"In… _Japan._" Richochet replied as if it were obvious to the male. Well, Tokyo was the Capital City… Kind of like how everyone knew London was the Capital City of England… Paris in France… Sydney in Australia… or that there were fifty States in the U.S.A… or that there were seven Continents… Pretty easy trivia…

Well, at least she thought it was. She raised an eyebrow to the green eyed companion to the traveling of their world to this one.

Mizu shrugged at her.

"Okay, well… Do you know where you are?" The blonde questioned, the others watching in interest and some confusion. The man nodded as Richochet blinked, looking away from his scars.

"…Uh…"

'**A bit slow today? Don't you remember?**' Rokubi mocked. '**You're in Konohagakure.**'

Mizu spoke up for her. "Konohagakure."

The lava eyed girl winced. Mizu might be a ditz, but she had a pretty good memory compared to Richochet. She was starting to rely _way_ too much on this demon in her.

And that wasn't good.

'**You do remember my life relies on you keeping alive? You just need information and I'm willing to give. What's so 'relying' about that? You have an awful memory by the way.**'

'_Piss off._'

The man with the scars all over his face gave a curt nod to the two newcomers and then bowed to Tsunade. She just gave a wave towards the two girls.

"I'm Morino Ibiki." The man introduced himself as he turned to them, his hulking body somewhat threatening to all. "And you are?"

"I'm Chikoto Mizu! And this is my friend, Seishou Richochet." She ran over and glomped Richochet, sticking her friends head between abnormally large breasts – for a twelve year old going on thirteen.

Richochet starting choking and shoved her away. She took in gulping breathes of air and wiped her face, starting to feel ill. That… was disgusting, really nasty. "Never. Again. Got it?!"

Mizu pouted and got up, walking over again with open arms. "No glomps…?"

"Fuck off!"

She gave Richochet a glare.

"Oh, how _cute_ she is!" Richochet then shuddered. "I want to hurl." Her stomach actually felt queasy. Mizu stank! She hadn't washed since…when ever she was found! She gripped her stomach as it heaved.

'**I guess it's time for your body to get rid of its toxins…**' Rokubi sniggered. '**After that you'll go through a feverous stage in the next month and then be normal… before it happens again two more times in the next few months. Your body has to cope with it's more demonic advantages… Since I was the one who controlled you when I flicked you off that cliff, you gain a ton of my characteristics.**'

She looked down to find she was gripping her glass ball on the end of the chain attached to her necklace. Letting her palm open, she saw that the heart was glowing a mucky yellowish mustard colour.

'**Unfortunately, those include becoming ill a lot and not being able to cope with the cold well. Ah, the colour in the ball changes for your health and when someone has it, also your emotions.**'

'_When someone _has_ it? Like _I'm_ gonna be stupid enough to give it away to anyone._' She replied quickly, feeling her stomach rumble as her body shook weakly. '_Why the _heck_ am I so weak?!_'

'**Like I said, forgetful one, your body has to start improving for its demonic advantages.**'

'_You never said that._'

'**Yet, I _implied_ it.**'

Tenten looked at her closely. Funny… Richochet looked like her brother did when he was drunk… Green and wobbly and about to… Her eyes widened in alarm. "Get her a bucket!"

The door opened as Shizune came in carrying a hard wooden box filled with new assignments. The Hokage's loyal assistant jumped when Neji smacked it out of her hands and sent the papers flying. Shizune was about to yell at him when he quickly walked over and held it under Richochet's face.

BLEURGH!

Tenten quickly helped Shizune with the papers, eyeing Neji funnily. '_What is up with Neji and this girl? Is it because of the likeness to the Gentle Fist she showed? It must be…It can't be that he likes her. He's never shown much emotion in that way. And he's only known her for a few hours…_' She shook her head and helped the assistant place them on the table.

Tenten gave a sigh as she moved back to lean against the wall next to Mizu. Even if it did, what did it matter to her? She gave up on her crush for him a few months back. In fact, she even had a crush on someone else.

Lee.

Yet he was stuck on Sakura…

…Who was stuck on Sasuke, the poor girl.

Tenten felt a stirring of emotion when she saw Lee run after the beautiful Sakura.

She could never compare with that gorgeous pink haired Kunoichi. She was just a friendly silly little tomboy in his eyes. She was rather pretty herself, more so than Richochet, but no one ever seemed to notice, so it trod on her self-confidence.

…The weapons mistress wondered if she was good enough for anyone…

Neji grimaced as the smell of puke came to his nose. Usually, he would have found it amusing for the Legendary Sucker to have vomit all over her office, so he wondered what had made him move to help this girl.

He was overdoing things when usually he wouldn't have bothered except for his team mates, maybe Gai-sensei too.

"Alright." Tsunade put up a hand. "I believe that Richochet needs to rest to get over her illness and to do that she needs to live somewhere. Neji, you seem attached to her – she'll live with you." Her eyes narrowed at his look. "Hokage's orders. I'll make a note. Mizu, you'll -"

She was cut off. "Ooh! Can I live with Sakura-chan?! Pleeeeease!" Mizu put her hands together, pouting.

It worked.

Tsunade rolled her eyes after a moment of unwanted cuteness. "Fine. It's obvious you've met my student. I'll make another note. Thank you Morino-san. I'm sorry for wasting your time from paperwork."

"It's absolutely fine. I'm sure you agree…" He bowed as Tsunade chuckled and exited calmly.

"Don't I just?" The Hokage muttered to herself. Standing up, she moved in front of her desk. "You will be granted access to live in Konohagakure on the condition that you will work for me."

"Work? How?" Mizu questioned, seeing that Richochet was unable to. "What can we do?"

"There are several jobs." She quickly looked over to Richochet, who had momentarily stopped puking her guts up. "The first being a Ninja."

Mizu blinked. "Ninja? But…we're behind…"

"You'll have your own teachers for a couple months." Tsunade said clearly and coolly. "During which you'll have to prove your loyalty." The words were encrypted purposefully.

Richochet looked up, stomach waging war against her as Rokubi snickered in her head. "Great. A _test_. I just _love_ tests." She said sarcastically and then her stomach gurgled up even more and she vomited again into the wooden box, the acid in it burning her throat painfully. "…Urgh…Why the hell am I _ill_?"

"If we have teachers and Richochet's ill, she'll be even further behind then I am!"

Tsunade raised a brow. "True…But I heard that she had healed herself with chakra."

"What's… ugh… chakra…?" The people who saw her heal, or heard that she had healed, froze. "Uh… nevermind. Tell me some other time." She added seeing the reactions she got. "Isn't being alive just _brilliant_?" She asked rhetorically with a cynical undertone, lava and red pupil-ed eyes darkening.

"Shut up and puke." Neji growled out, pushing her head down, but found she went down without much fight. He intended to be more forceful than what he achieved, but even a light touch and she seemed to fall over. "Hmph." Seeing her hair about to fall in, he grabbed the silky strands tightly at the ends.

'_Bastard._' The thirteen going on fourteen year old thought malevolently. '_Isn't he _just_ the nicest, kindest boy to _ever_ exist?_' Her sickness put her in a very moody attitude. She fisted a hand and then looked at it. '_Gloves…Where're my gloves? Wait… He picked 'em up._' She released her fist into the normal position it was usually in.

She was glad her hair wasn't in the way.

She looked behind her and noted his frown at her and that he held her hair. '_Why the hell is he around me all the time? I bet he even carried me back. Tch._' She ignored the odd way her crystal heart glowed, levitating itself over her shoulder as she herself was thankful to him secretly.

'**Hah. Chosen already and on the first day…**'

'_I'm ignoring you still. Bog off._'

Rokubi just snickered. '**By the way, you're puking up skin and marrow so the new bones and skin can fit in nicely. Nine tails host had this at birth. Three tails host, Six tails host, you, and Nine tails host have greater healing than the others.**'

'_That's nice…I really care about that when I'm puking and all…_'

Her body jolted as Rokubi sent warm electric currents floating through her. Her bloodline limit flared up slightly, blue energy blurs coming into her mind. If she concentrated, she knew she could focus on one blur more intensely but wouldn't chance it in her ill state. '**The feverish side will commence in any time from now until one a month after this. The detoxifying stage is over for now.**'

'_Detoxifying what?'_

'**The first month is detoxifying itself of the old body. The second is detoxifying further to the new one to the _greater_ standards of this world and becoming more of this world human. Currently, your old body is far weaker than theirs in this world. It is slower, less graceful and etcetera. Then the third is applying the demonic standards.**'

'_There is no way I'm becoming a demon._' Richochet thought viciously.

'**You're a demon carrier.**' Rokubi's words gave the image of a person shrugging. '**It happened to the other eight. How else will you be able to hold the demon power properly? There is a reason you nearly died when I used my power to guide your healing chakra to repair you, you know. It's also why your feverish time will be hell.**'

'_Lovely._'

Richochet leaned back and stared at the disgusting pinky orange mix. "That's nasty."

Tsunade snorted. "It never is nice."

"So…" Richochet looked from Tsunade to Neji. "…I'm living at his house, then."

"Hyuuga Neji." He responded monotonously

"Richochet…" Richochet blinked. "Seishou Richochet. I guess I'm gonna _have_ to kick you out of that monotony you have. Tch." She rolled her eyes in disappointment. "You gonna teach me good?"

"Well…'You gonna learn you good'?" He mocked with a slight smirk, eyes narrowing in arrogance and smugness. He smirked wider when her eyebrow twitched.

"In fact, I want you to teach her Neji. Hyuuga Neji – Seishou Richochet is your pupil. You are responsible for her. Completely responsible. As in health, housing, teaching…and it goes on." Tsunade smiled lightly. Matchmaking was kind of fun… "Seishou Richochet – Neji is your teacher. You are responsible for learning Ninja skills, backing up your teacher in all ways, and doing right."

"What would 'doing wrong' be?" She inquired, cunning thoughts racing in her mind. _'By my standards? Oh, I hope so…'_

Tsunade just smirked, a playful gleam in her eye. "Mizu, the same goes for you and the Haruno family."

Mizu smiled happily, and nodded vigorously. It kind of reminded you of a nodding dog really… "I'll do my best!" She turned to Richochet. "I'll be a far better Ninja than you will be!"

Richochet grimaced as she puked up again and groaned afterwards. '_I'd think of a good reply but being ill just hit me again._'

Neji narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I'll make sure you become the best damn Kunoichi in Konoha. So you better do as I say when it comes to Ninja skills." Then he tugged her hair in a way that made her face him and he whispered harshly so the others couldn't hear. "And you have some explaining to do with using Gentle Style."

She heard the icy growl in it and scowled at him, looking away, clenching and unclenching her fists. '_Arrogant GIT! Like _hell_ I'll do as he says and explain. I explain to no one that I don't wanna explain to!_'

'**Indeed. You will not tell anyone of me. Any sane person fears a demon and in turn will likely fear you will have your seal broken.**'

'_Seal?_'

"Richochet?"

The said girl looked up at Mizu. "What?"

"Get better soon! I don't want my rival to get too far behind." She teased stupidly.

"Get better you say - Get lost I say. Sod off." What made her hate this girl so much anyway? Oh yeah, the fact she was practically a stalker, a shallow airhead, annoying and a perfect little rich bitch that everyone seemed to love. Heck, even the Hokage had given into Mizu's wants. Even though it may have been because of irritation.

Mizu blinked in confusion. "Eh?"

Richochet just sighed and stood up. This girl was supposed to be smart. Not as oblivious as she always was and has been. What went wrong? "I won't get behind."

"If you're speaking you won't be puking for a while." Neji grabbed the nape of her neck and pulled her up and guided her to the door.

'_Such a controlling person...Geez._' The black haired otherworldly girl muttered in her head. '_It's like I'm some untamed animal he has to tame or something…damn._'

"Sayonara." Was the simple reply Richochet gave. Neji just nodded at Tenten and the Hokage, giving her a small amount of respect as she pushed along his wants of teaching the sick girl and in turn granting him what he wanted.

"I'll send the note now. Kakashi -" She looked to her left where Kakashi had been, for quite a while, reading that damn little orange book of his with a blush on his face. "Here. Send both. The Hyuuga's first." The blonde nodded at her Jounin.

Giving a small sigh, he stashed away his book quickly, grabbed the small scrolls, and then went over to Mizu. Holding her by the shoulder, he made sure she realized what happened by merely looking at her as if it were obvious and took off in a poof of purple sulphur smoke.

* * *

Ne, wasn't too bad, right? I liked writing this, especially the beginning! Right now, I'm on a SAIYUKI lovin' craze. Love Hakkai and Gojyo waaay too much. Haha!

Please review! They are an author's lifeline!

Mucho love to all -

* * *

**R.**

* * *


	6. Chapter VI

_I'm back!_

_My Happiness goes to..._

_Moogle in Paradaisu - Zero Asakura - Hibiki-chan - Seadrance - Darklight_

**I thank you again and again.**

**Written to the songs: **_I want you to want me (Cheap Trick) even though it has no influence on this chapter. Craziness._

_Read on fellow fans of Naruto!_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Six**

**

* * *

**

"Why are you ill?"

Richochet mulled over the question. A small smirk lit her face and she started deciding to play a game. "Am I not allowed to be ill?"

"Not while on my watch." He growled to her over his shoulder, jumping from building to building, and familiar places going by as a blur. They were getting closer to his home and he wanted her to feel better so he could interrogate her for himself. Ibiki never really had the chance to let his words weave his victim to whatever state he wanted them in.

"Then you'll be happy to know I get ill quite easily." Her reply was simple, mocking, sardonic to its' own speaker. "Isn't _that_ great? A weakness in your pupil. You must be thrilled."

Neji snorted, wondering what she was playing at. "If it's your fate to become ill a lot, then so be it. It was the way the higher beings had made you to be. It's the way you were created as a human."

She leaned her head on his shoulder as he carried her somewhat carefully over the buildings. "As a human? Now, why would I want to be a human? I'd be constricting myself to your limitations – to your preferences. Why would I want to do that?"

Neji stopped on top of a building. A small breeze blew at his face. He let go of her abruptly, but she didn't let go of him.

"Get off."

Another smirk lit her lips up, brighter than before.

He didn't realize that he was bent over forward slightly so that she wouldn't topple over and go and knock her self out or something.

Yet Richochet did.

An act of caring perhaps?

'_HAH!'_

"I don't think I want to, human." Her chuckle ran through her weakened body, to his sensitized from training body. "I feel it better to cling on. It's pretty pathetic actually…"

Now she thought on it… why was she doing this?

'**You want to know how he ticks. You analyze their thought patterns to see what it normal for them to think, to see what is normal for them to react like.**' Rokubi answered quietly. '**Do you realize you do that a lot? You've done that to the silver haired Jounin and the Hokage already.**'

Neji was, internally, completely confused. Where had the cynical side gone? Where had the rude brat gone to? Who the heck was this person questioning things that he had never heard being questioned?

_Why would I want to be a human?_

What kind of question was that?

What kind of question wasn't it?

It wasn't pathetic.

It was… something you didn't want to answer. Something that the answer you gave would be twisted to suit the questioners purpose. So Neji did the only thing he could.

He gave his own question.

"Why would clinging be pathetic?" He gave a narrowing of his eyes to her from over his shoulder.

Richochet frowned and saw something blur in the background but chalked it up to a random low flying bird. "It's a weakness. Why would you want a weakness?" The question was light, curious. It was not that mocking he had come to realize her voice was like most of the time. She sounded as if she were a child seeking answers to question one should have known from before this teenage age.

Neji replied stiffly, thinking of his own fatalistic self that lost a Chuunin Match because of his underestimation of a drop out like Naruto. "It may be a weakness, but a weakness can be overcome."

"So you don't want to cling to someone…Is that it?" She said softly, breath going lightly over his hair, warm and acidic from being ill only minutes earlier. "You want to be alone all your life? Don't you need to have contact with another being?"

The Hyuuga wasn't sure where she was going with this. Yet he was curious too. "I'm not alone."

"Are you?"

"Aren't _you_?"

"You seem to want to take over this conversation. Are you afraid of the answers you will find?"

A faint smirk traced his lips. "Are you afraid _to answer_?"

She acquiesced to that by sighing and put her chin on his shoulder, giving her opinion for the second time. "I don't think it's answering that people fear. I think it's the response they believe they will get."

"Well, their own opinion generated that belief – so do they fear themselves?" Neji asked, interested in her reply.

"Do you fear yourself? Is that why you don't want to be alone? So you don't question yourself? By the way you started asking questions, I gather that you don't want to be on your own. And by my own reasoning – you fear yourself."

"Hmph." Neji grabbed her legs again. "Then that applies to everyone."

"Does it really? What about those who have their own voice in their heads?" Richochet spoke almost languidly, lazy eyed as she watched passing buildings and people. "What about those who have imaginary friends? They're not alone."

"They only generated them _because_ they were alone."

"Oh…" Richochet felt sleepy, tired with the illness. "So you're saying fear is something inside you? Is it an instinct to fear?"

"Instincts are another matter entirely. Why do you bring instincts up?"

Richochet never answered that. "What if the voice in someone's head was a sealed demon? Do they fear themselves? Or do they fear what others could say?"

She never got the reply. Tiredness won over and she let her self drift into a state between being aware of everything and able to listen, but also to completely rest.

"Everyone fears themselves so they say things to make others fear even more to prove their own strength. It's instinct to want to be strong…" He replied, but never got one back when he felt her slump against him, arms loosening from around his neck and collarbone. He stopped once again just to look at her.

She wasn't as beautiful as some others he had seen, like that Ino girl or the one on Naruto's team or Tenten. Though, she had very interesting points on her.

Her eyes were like a volcano with those red pupils and glowing eyes.

They were... not mesmerizing or something that he'd drown in or whatever those romantic fools thought. In fact, he rather disliked the fact they were as odd and different as his, something his clan had enjoyed being unique in.

Neji did like the fact they were pretty creepy. It gave himself a challenge to see how long he could hold her glare. He admitted to himself that when he first saw them he had been tempted to step back - Especially when she gave that 'look' with a smirk.

The look he had seen?

It's the 'I'm better than you and I know something you don't know,' kind of look which made him grit his teeth in antagonism when she directed it at him. Neji was sure it'd look misplaced if she gave a look that was anything other than that too.

He was also sure that if she opened her eyes in the dark they'd _glow_ they were so weird, but it gave off that impression. They were almond shaped, not large with cuteness or slightly narrowed with beauty, but had their own mocking quality only enhanced by the way her left smoothly done eyebrow was up in the usual display of disbelief. Now, the brows were both in equal height in her peaceful slumber

Her face was heart shaped. Ironical, as she seemed to not care for peoples reactions to her hateful words. Another smirk flitted across his lips quickly.

Her nose was slightly rounded instead of more pointed like his and was as creamy as the rest of her slightly blemished skin. There wasn't much of a bump just below the bridge of her nose, it was as normal as any others. Her mouth was a nice size bottom lip plump, smooth and inviting, though he saw dents near the inside as if she had bitten hard to keep in a noise.

…A pained noise?

…A mocking retort?

…A hiss of annoyance?

…Or something else?

She was an enigma at this point of knowing her.

His reached his right hand to touch her right cheek. Three scars, curled downwards at the end in swirls. He frowned. Was she related to Naruto? Was she not a Seishou and really an Uzumaki? He supposed Naruto may have thought the same thing. Naruto wasn't stupid – he was oblivious and slow, but he wasn't stupid.

She also needed clothes – proper ones rather than borrowed. The thought of wondering what she'd look like in Hyuuga clothing flashed in his mind before slashing it away quickly.

He shook his head and jumping two more times, he landed in front of the Hyuuga main house.

Immediately, the door opened as the impressively intimidating frame of the Hyuuga head, Hyuuga Hiashi, stood down, watching emotionlessly as his nephew blinked at him once before bowing carefully and then taking her off his back to hold in his arms, still bowing, unaware Richochet was awake.

When his Head of the family began speaking he stood up again. "I received the note. You are to reveal the secrets to the Hyuuga style of fighting? I do not want this to be so." Hiashi said calmly.

Truth be told, he wanted to see his nephew reaction to see whether or not he had truly forgiven his uncle. Hiashi knew Neji would have to do what the Hokage said to keep his career of being a Ninja. He wouldn't be as harsh as he had before and Neji would stay in the family. He, himself, was training Neji as his own apology.

Neji felt a grimace go on his face for the briefest second.

It was then that the young branch member realized he had to choose between his loyalty to the Hyuuga and his loyalty to the Hokage. It was an odd sense of guilt and achievement that assaulted him.

"Yet…If you can somehow make her pledge loyalty to us…"

"Yes, I will." Neji nodded, preferring that immensely. "Thank you, Hyuuga-sama."

Hiashi nodded. "The one next to Hinata's room is free, opposite yours."

Neji frowned. He lived in the branch house, not the main house. So why was he going to be there? It made no sense and it didn't matter, so he didn't bother thinking on it.

"The note said she was ill," Hiashi began as he led the younger Hyuuga to his new room. "When she awakens, she will have to take some illness pills. Then you will train her for a few hours by teaching her basics. She had never been a kunoichi before, correct?"

"Yes, Hyuuga-sama," Neji nodded, shifting the girl a bit to get a better grasp. The heart glowed momentarily as it knocked against his chest once but he ignored it. "She seems to have a certain fighting style already though."

"Hmm, then it may not be as difficult as first thought."

Neji was floored. He had never had a proper conversation over anything with his uncle before. It was unsettling but at the same time he felt helplessly confused about it.

Odd.

This day was turning out to be the craziest ever.

* * *

. 

Seishou Richochet sat up quickly, looking around analytically. Nothing was amiss…apart from the fact she had absolutely no idea where the bloody hell she was.

It was a room, with _very_ light white lavender walls and a twelve tatami mat room and a sliding door. She raised an eyebrow at that. A shoji screen? That was pushing the originality of Japanese culture a bit. Haven't they heard of doors?

The bed she rested upon was at least modern, not one of those you rolled up and stashed away to create more room, thankfully. She wanted to have some semblance of normality in the fanatical place she called a life.

The sheets were the softest silk and she didn't really know if she liked that. If she had her fever any day, it would stick to her like glue. Though, they were incredibly lovely to touch.

'_I'm so ironic. I'm practical, but I like having something that won't help me._' She sighed and thinned her lips. '_I'm psychoanalytical and philosophical and yet I'm so uncaring of others and their lives when it doesn't include me. I'm like the paper thin line between reality and imaginary and yet it always wants to blur._'

'**Silly mortal.**' Rokubi hadn't called her _that_ for a while. '**You've lived in another world and have one of the most terrifying forces in you, so of course you're the paper thin line. You're not either – you're both. You're good. You're evil. You're humane. You're demonic. You're cryptic. You're blunt. You're understanding. You're uncaring. You're everything. You're nothing. You can _do_ everything. You can _do_ nothing. You are bloodthirsty and live only for the fight. You live for other things too I suppose…**'

'_Great ending to _that_ speech. Aren't I the special one? Though, I'm guessing what you said is just perspective…_'

'_**I'm**_** the only one that will truly understand you.**'

'_Are you really?_' Richochet rolled her eyes and got up, noticing now that by the bed was some clothes. They must have measured her old ones or something. '_I can disagree with that. I could tell someone my life story.'_

'**They'll never be in you like I am.**' Rokubi said uncaringly as if he knew he were right. '**They'll never have the same experience and knowledge of you that I have.**'

"That's not true at all. That's the person I was. It's not the person I'll become." She slumped to the bed again.

'**Who will you be?**' Rokubi chuckled and seemed to roll over onto his back lazily. At least, that's the impression he gave her when she saw a mental picture. '**_HER?_**'

Richochet twitched. Another mental picture encased her head. A person, with the same features as Richochet, about nine years of age. Happy orange eyes grinned out at her along with the face smiling like there was no tomorrow from over her shoulder. Black haired swayed and splayed out as she twirled in the summer sun in a field.

'**I'm a demon. You're my host. That is it. Do not think we're friends.**'

And as if there was music playing, it suddenly jolted and crashed in a mad display of distress before burning out coldly.

Thunder enhanced its voice. '**I aid you by giving my power freely. You aid me by living. _That is it_.**'

"_That is it!! I no longer wish it to happen! I no longer wish for you to… to… UGH!! STOP!! That is it!!_"

The memory was stark, the voice was a scream. "That is it." Her hand seemed to grip something out of the mid air in front of her. '_You really know…How to make a person crumble, don't you?_' A sarcastic smile lit up her watery eyes.

'**I am a demon, silly mortal. Don't worry pet.**' It replied cruelly, using the 'pet' nickname once more. '**You are not that weak.**'

'_I'm…Not that weak._' Richochet replied, eyes half lidded now. '_I guess we're not that different._'

'**I don't fear others reactions…Do you?**'

Psychological warfare with your own self was not fun. It was down right pushing someone naked in the middle of a busy market and sadistically enjoying their humiliation, their anguish and misery.

'_Go away._'

'**Running away from yourself? Now that is true wretchedness.**' Rokubi enjoyed anyone's mortification. Even his own hosts'.

"I'm…trying to_ live._" She said to the bare room. "Is that so wrong?"

Her eyes closed, but before she could start wallowing in brief self misery, a blue light caught her mind and she turned to it before opening her eyes. A girl, just a couple months younger or so than herself stood there.

"O-Of course it's n-not wrong." Her stuttering irritated Richochet before she actually heard the words. "I-It's per-perfectly fine."

Her hair was short, but the bangs long. Purple tinted when hitting the sun, Richochet noted. "Even if my life has no purpose? Is it right to go on living with no purpose?"

The girl frowned, large white lavender eyes, the same colour as he wall glistened as she looked down. "Maybe…We are born to find a purpose?" She tested the words to herself and then gave a soft but nervous smile.

"Does that mean everyone?"

"I-I'm sure it does mean everyone." She was stuttering again slightly.

Richochet looked at her curious.

No judgment.

No scorn.

No annoyance.

Just curiosity.

"What if you do have a purpose?"

The girl gave a small wistful smile. "Then at least they have a reason."

"Even if it's bad?"

"It's still a purpose, right? N-no matter how bad." She gave a small bow. "I'm Hyuuga…H-Hinata."

The demon sealed girl ducked her head. "You have a special purpose, Hinata. One that only you can do. I'm sure of it." Richochet gave a heartrending smile, eyes slightly depressed. "You are…beautiful on the inside."

'**So…You're going to cling? Didn't you say that was a pathetic weakness? Why would someone with a beautiful inside want someone diseased with a demon cling to them and infecting them with their pitiful depression?**'

Rokubi was merciless today.

Absolutely merciless.

Hinata put her hands up in a cupping shape and put the open side up to her face to cover her mouth and nose, eyes watery. Then she moved her hands away slightly as Richochet gave a confused look to her. "You don't realize how kind and beautiful you yourself are on the inside do you?"

Hinata hadn't stuttered.

Richochet gave an emotionless smile. '_Naïve. A few words, with changing the octaves and nuances, and she's absolutely choked up._'

'**Kind of like my effect on you.**' Rokubi put on, also watching through her eyes. '**Except you can do the same for everyone and on no one.**'

'_Your cryptic messages make me sick._' She replied.

'**They once amused you.**'

'_Once._' She assented. '_Yet, I always amuse you. You said so yourself._'

'**Yes, you do.**' Rokubi purred in her mind and at once, that music started playing again as if it had never crashed.

It was like two enemies having to join together to fight the greater enemy with the same respect for one another.

It was intelligent.

It was stupid.

Yet…They only gave each other reverence.

Illogical. Isn't it.

"I'm Seishou Richochet. A living, breathing, walking contradiction. How are you?" She looked up at the confused girl and laughed for the first time that she arrived here.

Quieting down, Richochet stood up, noting that she only wore her underwear. Hyuuga Hinata looked away with a blush but came over and lifted her clothing.

"I-I find it hard to f-figure out the clothes m-myself, sometimes, too." Hinata smiled shyly. "I-I think they c-change them e-everyday."

Rokubi grumbled. '**At least she isn't as oblivious as Mizu or as modest as Tenten. Have you noticed she always stutters when she talks about her self?**'

'_I've acknowledged that._' The thirteen year old going on fourteen on May the Ninth nodded. "Yeah…"

Hinata frowned. "Y-You have…one o-of the Hyuuga family _m-male_ training kimono's…"

A knock at the wood of the screen came and it slid open. Hinata suddenly gasped and through the male top over her head so it covered from her middle back, head and finally to her lap. The young Hyuuga ignored the muffled protest as she held the top to her head.

Neji blinked and narrowed his eyes at the scene. Then they widened. Turning around and with a faint blush on his face, he walked out again very quickly – like any male of their age would have done. He stopped and called. "Those clothes…Would be mine."

Richochet grabbed the top and held it up to her chest for decency. She sniffed them and they faintly smelled the manly scent of some kind of musky mint that was now mixed in with the shampoo of Lychee and Cherry she had used the last time she awoke.

"I have your clothes here." The Hyuuga male reached an arm out, clothes in hand.

It was pretty much the same as these, except, that there was a skirt that hung on her hips and was black. It was like the ones the male Hyuuga's wore on top of their trousers but with another part in front that went from mid thigh to mid thigh and had a belt under the top of it that had the skirt's top flipped over it to hide the said belt. There was also a pair of short shorts.

The top was also the same except there were no sleeves and it was very pinched in at the waist and stopped above her belly button, showing off the seal tattoo that kept in Rokubi. Grabbing them, and using the bandages for a chest wrap wrapped down to her hips and there was some to be around her knees and elbows, she tugged them on quickly.

"Nice, but the skirt is kinda weird." Then again, she did notice the amount of pockets in them…Handy, at least.

She looked up and noticed that Neji had gone and come back, donned in the grown male kimono version of the Hyuuga kimono. Though when she looked at Hinata she kind of realized she wasn't wearing the _exact_ female version. Maybe because she wasn't a Hyuuga, but still.

She kind of preferred the baggy arms of her orange jumper so it hid her weights and her small movements that showed her next move. Though free arm movement was alright too but it provided less protection.

"Hmph. Good enough." Neji replied and Hinata smiled at her.

Richochet winked back at her with a smirk and then noted the pills on her bedside table. Ignoring them, knowing that she didn't need them, she turned to Neji. "I guess you're going to be in teacher mode, huh?"

He smirked back and nodded and then left, pausing once to look over his shoulder and gave her an expectant look, before moving on again. He obviously wanted her to follow.

Tugging on the zori's as she followed, Richochet hopped on after him.

Hinata smiled at the two prideful people gently. If Richochet was like Neji in the way of fighting and training, then Konoha would definitely be in safe hands for quite a while.

The girl hoped so at least.

* * *

. 

The place was quite nice, big and airy, and there was a single tree in the middle of the courtyard they were in. The ground was slightly gritty with dirt and rocks of different shapes and sizes – ranging from pebble to stone – and not what she was used to fighting on.

She'd adapt. If there was anything her wretched grandfather had taught her, it was to adapt to all situation when fighting commanded her to do so.

Grandfather huh…?

Well, she didn't care much for her past, so she ignored it and got on like any other normal teen her age did – except she lived on her own though neighbours helped out a ton much to her surprise - and just got on with the usual hardships of life. Still, that didn't matter now, did it?

Sunrise was upon them when they got there. A small breeze flitted over her skin as Neji sat down under the shade of the tree and gestured to the space in front of him.

Sitting down also, she looked at him, waiting.

"Chakra is the summoning of physical and mental energies and combining them within your own body." Neji switched on his Byakugan and suddenly, veins sprouted from his eyes.

Richochet simply raised an eyebrow.

Neji blinked, solidifying the fact the veins weren't going to go. "Do you know how to access your…chakra?"

Neji took a deeper look at her. The lines transporting her chakra were extra large but the tenketsu were the same size – needle point yet deep, so he'd at least have to hit them twice to close them. He could feel - when his Byakugan was on - that her chakra was rolling through them, but he couldn't see them. If she could learn to manipulate her chakra to flow where she wanted it to and somehow shield it, she could fool the Byakugan.

Even Naruto's chakra infested with the Nine Tails was seen and that was _demonic_ chakra… Did this have something to do with a bloodline limit?

Seishou…He hadn't heard of that clan before. Though for some warped reason, it was familiar.

"Oh of _course_ I do. That's why I'm a bloody master at it and learning from _you_." Richochet smirked at her teachers scowl. Then she rolled her eyes of volcanic lava orange. "Alright, alright… what a stupid question… No I don't."

Neji gritted his teeth at her amused look.

She may have been a better choice over Mizu…but she was a kick in the teeth in her own way.

"What? You didn't expect me just to lose my sarcasm and be totally synergistic, did you, _Neji_? It's not like I'm about to bow and down and fall in love with you or anything." Her mouth created that lift on one side that was her own unique smirk.

"And I hope that you don't expect me to immediately be kind to you just because you're my student, do you, _Richochet_?"

"Here I was hoping we could play _Happy Families_. Guess I was wrong…" She shrugged in fake apology, hilarity in her eyes that he noted straight away.

"Hmph. Concentrate on drawing a blue energy towards you." Neji said smoothly, ignoring her foolish comment on 'Happy Families'.

Hmph.

'Happy families' indeed.

* * *

. 

Richochet closed her eyes and thought deeply. Suddenly, she was thrown into a barrage of caves and routes that looked as if she were in an underground moles territory.

Or, perhaps…

…A weasels' territory.

There were leaves all over the bottom of the floor along with some blades of grass and scented flowers that drove her mind to haze over. Blue lines covered the walls of dirt and a growl echoed through the place, sending wind from a beast's smelling mouth and suddenly Richochet knew she was in her subconscious.

Rokubi's home.

She raced towards the growl and saw that around her, the dirt, leaves, grass and flowers were pushed aside to reveal very familiar corridors. The corridors were at 'The Arena'.

She halted and found that the double doors she knew were hanging open, broken and dented in several places. White paint chipped off and she saw inside that a huge cage that was sheltered, drowning in darkness.

Two eyes of vibrant electric blue lightning blinked open to glare at her making her freeze momentarily.

"**It's not my power you are searching for. It's your own.**" Then the eyes closed in annoyance. "**And because of me, you won't be able to fully control your chakra until the Gogyo Kaiin no Jutsu is used. I need some more space for the chakra to flow into you properly before.**"

"So I have to use this -"

"**No. You have to find a man named Jiraiya to do this like he has done to Kyuubi's host.**"

"Then I'll be able to use chakra?"

"**More like you have to find your own inner peace.**" Rokubi said lightly, voice echoing through the arena like shouting voices had done so numerous times before.

"Inner Peace. Huh." Richochet murmured. "Wonder if I'm any good at doing that stuff."

"**If you're wondering why a young kid can beat men twice her size and thrice her age, it's becase of me and not experiments.**"

_'I thought as much.'_

Shaking her head, Richochet raced away as a mocking voice called after her, "**Come back soon.**"

Then a force propelled her forward to where she had appeared and threw her harshly down the gaping whole that appeared.

Being forcibly wrenched into reality wasn't the nicest feeling, especially when your stomach refused to quell itself.

* * *

. 

She fell onto her back making Neji roll his eyes in annoyance.

"What are you doing? Find your chakra!"

Grumbling, Richochet got into a sitting position and rubbed her back.

Neji sighed. "Hold your hand like this and focus energy into it and all around your body. It stimulates concentration." He held his right hand up, thumb holding down the pinky and ring finger while the middle and index were lodged together and pointing upwards.

Copying, she jumped moment's later when yellow white and electric blue lightning fluttered around her as well as green healing chakra. As she flinched when she was given a burst of energy, it disappeared again and Neji gave her a look.

"Stop playing around!" The Hyuuga said loudly, annoyed, eyes narrowed in being pissed off at her.

"Oh yes, I'm playing around when I can successfully draw my chakra at any time I want." Richochet said sarcastically, as the normal was. "What a brilliant idea on the way to Ninja-hood."

Neji was suddenly above her, standing and glaring. He bopped her hard on the head with his fist and then turned around and sat down again under the shade of the tree.

Rubbing her aching forehead where Rokubi once said her weasel ears' sweet spot was when she was shampooing, she put said hand back into the focused hold once more, glaring at him evilly.

Rokubi laughed in the back of her head. '**Don't focus on friendly yellow chakra or red demonic chakra or green healing chakra, focus on personal chakra. It's _blue _attacking chakra that you need. Think of the colour to guide you.**'

Neji watched in disbelief when she brought out healing chakra again before it melted away.

Then lightning bolted around her and God knows how that happened.

He didn't even _want_ to know why.

* * *

. 

For the rest of that day, while he was sure Haruno Sakura was teaching her own student Mizu about the basic jutsu's there were and what the signs were, he watched in appalled fascination as green energy, yellow bolts of lightning and sometime red flickers of energy just swirled around her, undecided on which it would stay on.

He wondered when she'd collapse by chakra usage.

It was rather odd to see a girl just meditating, sweating like Richochet did so, not a care in the world for her looks. It was kind of nice to see a girl who would get down and dirty.

A blush drifted over his cheeks before he turned away, his back facing her.

As fighting! He meant as fighting! And not caring about nails! Or hair!

And… Neji peeked over his shoulder.

She looked so damn hot and sweaty and… _attractive_.

He put a hand up to his face.

Since when did he get so perverted and hormonal?

The Hyuuga was about to sigh and call it a day when a flash of blue came and stayed….

"…_Finally_." Neji spoke and she opened her eyes slowly. "It _only_ took you until sunset. That makes it _only ten hours_ of meditation for you to even _produce_ it. Six year olds get it in ten minutes."

Richochet grinned sheepishly as Rokubi chuckled.

'**Nice one pet…**'

And Rokubi wasn't talking about what she thought he was as he looked at the slightly red cheeked Hyuuga through her eyes.

'…**Nice.**'

* * *

Richochet; How was it? Good? Bad?

Do tell.

I just watched the whole series of Ouran High School Host Club and thinking of posting up a new story about it. New character but no she isn't a crossdresser that'll go into the club like other ones. Something a _liiii_ttle bit different and also different to my usual writing style.

Anyone want to read it? Please put your thoughts down.

Oh, and Happy Mothers Day!

Well, it is in England at least.

Tata!

* * *

**R.**

* * *


	7. Chapter VII

**Another chappie up!**

_Once more, I give loving toooo..._

_Hibiki-chan - Jayne - CatrinaCat45 - Zero Asakura - Moogle In Paradaisu - Ugly.Beautiful (I'm trying to make her somwhat like the baddies in all the anime and manga, evil n' stuff, just read below on her thoughts about using the... well, read on!) - Child Of Phoenix - SankexNeji._

**Yay! More people are reviewing! I wuuuv you guys! **

Oh yeah, and Raiden is the Shinto God of Thunder. His companion is, obviously, Rokubi seeing as Rokubi is the bijuu of Lightning. Apparently, he's a weasel beast because of the eight tailed demon Hachibi, Yamata no Orochi, turned him into one. Rokubi is usually harmless and calm, except when a thunderstorm is about - then he goes apeshit, basically. Y'know, running like crazy scratching up field trees and even buildings.

Oh yeah, he always, get this, sleeps in navels of people sleeping outside that he passes. Crazy huh? It's why superstitous people sleep on their stomach when there's a thunderstorm. So, Raiden then shoots arrows into the navels of the people his sleeps in and kills them to get him out again.

Lov-er-ly.

So, I may put in stuff about her having a dislike of snakes, arrows and orange things ( why orange? I have no idea...) as well as her having a great like to storms, stomachs (snickers out loud) or rather sleeping on them and something else I've forgotten... damnit.

Oh yeah. Abilities that have been noted in history: Fire cause by lightning, lightning, thunder, lighting elemental arts (different jutsu's, I'm taking that as), able to fly about as a ball of thunder / fire. Cool. I'm so using this info.

Just remember, Richcohet does have loads of weaknesses, phobias, and mental stability problems, this is just the history on _ROKUBI._

**Written to...**_ Something I can't remember. Wait. Alien Ant Farm - Glow._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seven**

**

* * *

**

"Ugh…" Richochet flopped back, trying to summon her chakra again the next day. That feeling of annoyance rose once more when the glaring Neji took no heed to her tiredness.

They were back in the courtyard once more, freezing because of it being winter and snow started to fall down. For some odd reason, Richochet thought that once she had brought out the chakra, it would be easier to bring it out next time since she knew where it was.

_Logic_ dictated that it would.

Yeah, well… Logic _sucked_.

'_I don't get it…_' She thought to herself, irritation and frustration amounting as coldness settled in, the scent of Christmas drifting about. '_It's like I've gotten to Mizu's stage of oblivious or anything…SO WHY CAN'T I FIND IT AGAIN?!_' Her eyebrow twitched and her fists clenched and unclenched, a sure sign she was getting pissed off.

She ran a hand through sweat ridden hair and let out an aggravated sigh.

'**You realize you've grown up in a world that has never done this before.**' Rokubi said patiently, wanting to smack her. '**Can you really expect it to come out into a body that is still forming properly? It could ruin the system. You were sick last night again and that pain…**'

* * *

**Flashin' back.**

_

* * *

Hinata sighed as Richochet started violently vomiting into a metal pan used for drinking water. _

_To say it wouldn't ever be used again is an understatement._

"_I-It would h-help if y-you t-told us what's wrong?" She suggested shyly, pushing the older girls naturally untamed spiky hair back. It reminded Hinata of a woman with lavender hair she had seen from the movies once. "Y-You're puking and have a h-head ache…"_

"_I have a disease that only eight or less other people in the world have been recorded to have." Richochet said cautiously, almost tentatively, not sure what to say. "It's not able to travel to another person, so you won't catch it…" She grimaced and held her chest and stomach in pain._

'_**Though, we can spread our power into another if the host wishes it.**' Rokubi spoke softly, knowing that her pounding headache was worse than she let on. '**Demons can't really say no as the host has the power to end their life and ours at the same time but we can sure as hell be fussy about it.**'_

_Richochet had said 'or less' because she wasn't exactly sure if all the demons had been sealed._

'Is it safe to tell me that?_'_

'_**I'm rather hoping your illness will make you forget.**' He responded dryly._

'Tough luck._'_

_Neji stood at the door. If she had taken those damn nasty tasting pill this wouldn't have happened. Of course, he was responsible for her, so he supposed he should have made her take them._

_No matter._

"_You were supposed to take those pills, Seishou."_

"_Like I know what's in them." Richochet snapped, feeling a tad irritable. "I don't _take_ pills!"_

_Neji glared at her. _

_Try and help a person and they throw it in your face._

_Tch._

_Richochet just glared back, heart necklace swinging with her jerky movements as she stuck her chin up in defiance like always. It created a sort of mesmerizing effect for those who watched it swing to and fro, a tempting draw to catch it and take it, keeping it for their own. "That ego of yours doesn't help me get better, you know!"_

_Hinata sighed again.

* * *

_

**Flashin' forward.**

* * *

Richochet grimaced as she put her hand in that concentration movement again. '_You didn't exactly tell me what would happen! So why can't I use it anyway? Let me guess, you're keeping it away from me?_' 

Rokubi let out a small purr. Mocking. Not comforting. '**That would be you yourself keeping it away. Your body most likely won't let you access it again until the second illness. And just think – you still have a whole fever session to go.**'

'_Frickin heck._' Richochet got out of that position and held her forehead as she leaned her head forward. '_I shouldn't have expected any comfort from _you_, you damn demonic weasel._'

'**Heh. You remind me of Raiden sometimes.**'

'_Who?_'

'**Don't you know your Shinto God's?**' Rokubi growled. '**You're lucky you've got me. I have an unlimited amount of power thanks to him.**' He spoke of the man somewhat mournfully.

'_So even demons have people special to them…_' Richochet said, slightly surprised. Rokubi always seemed to be the vicious loner types letting no one get close. Kinda like her, except she mentally tormented people and piss them off so they'd stay away. But her personality seemed… some what diminished as of late to get more training in.

'**Raiden was my brother! Of course he is special!**'

'_Shoko was my sister! And yet you mock _that_…_'

'**Hmph. I suppose…I own you an apology…**' Rokubi's voice thundered like always, but it was soothing, like a passing storm. '**I apologize this once.**'

'_It's enough._'

"Get up."

Richochet looked up at the Hyuuga before getting up slowly, swaying slightly. "Whoa…"

Neji huffed and crossed his arms, looking down at her slightly with annoyance set into his face. "We're going to go…" Neji left off, looking away, confusing the girl somewhat. What did he want to say? "…Take a break…You need to know your surroundings."

"You're taking me out in the town?"

Neji looked up at the sky and let out a silent sigh. His face just screamed 'WHY ME GOD, WHY?!' to everyone looking. Why the hell did she have to say it like that? It just plain sounded wrong to him.

"Are you… _blushing?_" She said in disbelief and then nudged him. "I think you _arrrreee… What?_ Are you afraid to take a girl around town?"

"When you put it like that!" Neji snapped at her, glaring heatedly. "Maybe I'll leave it to _you!_" He bopped her on the head with a chakra infested fist, making her smash to the ground and then disappeared off over the roof tops.

Richochet let out one small whimper of pain before narrowing her eyes. "Can't he take a joke? Geez!" She gritted her teeth.

Maybe she was just pissed off because, like some peoples' friends she had seen having some fun with things like this, he gets pissed off with her, while the friends she had seen had just laughed it off. She was just trying to be a companion!

What that so wrong?

Apparently, to him it was something wrong. "Stupid Hyuuga! Stupid me! Why can't I get things like this _right_? Why does it come so easy to some people like idiotic Mizu and not me?! WHY?! GAH!" She went to kick the tree but stopped. "It's not the bloody tree's fault."

A small cough caught her attention.

Who… had…?

Richochet looked around and then let her head fall forward in mortification.

A small silence enveloped them.

This was…awkward.

Especially when they didn't really know each other.

_And_ she just called Hyuuga's stupid, even though it was directed to just one.

Hinata coughed, hiding a small knowing smile before letting it fade to a polite smile instead.

"I-I find it hard too." Hinata tried sympathizing with her. It didn't work with Neji, so why did she think Richochet, the same Richochet who was so like Neji but so different at the same time, would accept it? "Mixing with p-people… T-teasing… Joking…"

"Hinata… You're just shy… I'm just… People stupid…" She said, quite pitifully, annoyed for being out of control and dramatic – which just wasn't for her. Where was her great – well, larger – vocabulary off to? The stupid aisle in the idiot market or something?

She was always supposed to be the one in control!

It was a given!

She needed it!

She had control problems **_damnit_**!

Her therapist even said it as the first of her problems!

"I-I think…that's a very b-blunt way of saying it…" Hinata smiled nervously, coming down to crouch by Richochet, aware that Neji was on the other side listening.

"It's true though." Richochet muttered and sat on her behind and held her knees with her arms, settling her head don them. "I'm no good with people. They surround me all the time, thinking I'm safe and harmless, that I'm just a girl who uses sarcasm to hide behind shyness or something."

"A-Are you?" The girl stuttered to the new ninja-in-training. "S-shy…like me…I mean like that?"

"Sometimes…Both like you and using sarcasm…" She smirked at the Hyuuga heir's blush and then let it fade. "I'm rude, mean, sarcastic, somewhat cynical and arrogant. I'm philosophical and psychological too. I _like_ twisting peoples' words around and mocking them. It's what I'm used to. It's what I've been taught to do. I'm hypocritical when I'm philosophical…so I guess I'm basing these philosophic questions around contradicting myself…"

Hinata looked uncomfortable and looked down, biting her lip anxiously, a little freaked. Especially when she had those creepy lava eyes staring her down with intensity the other girl didn't know she was showing.

'**You trust her?**' Rokubi said, curious instead of mocking. '**I would… She's like Raiden too. She has his kindness…Until you pissed him off of course. That's where you're like him. You both have silver tongues.**'

'_I guess we aren't too different then Rokubi…You and me. Raiden and… Shoko…_'

'**That's why you trust this human. That's why you always question your personality to her. You want her approval greatly. You want her…_acceptance_ even more**' Rokubi found himself with something even more similar with Richochet.

'_Yeah…_' Then Richochet blinked and looked at the girl. '_Because she's like my Shoko…My gentle, heartwarming, submissive Shoko…I want her to accept me…Like Shoko did…until the end._'

'**You can't do this to that girl.**'

'_Do what?_' Richochet said in her mind.

'**Try and make her Shoko.**'

Richochet shivered. Hearing someone else say it sounded… wrong. But in the end, she _would_ end up trying to make Hinata become her Shoko. It always happened amongst the girls she had attained 'friend' status – in the lightest possible way of course – with. She would end up using her like she used the rest.

Even now, she was consciously using the Hyuuga's for her own selfishness, for her own greed and want of power. Power in her life meant control. Control over her life meant safety. Safety in her life meant being content. Comfort meant being in control and control was power.

This was her way of life.

To attain power was to attain happiness.

And she wanted it.

She had it.

With Rokubi.

Rokubi meant power.

Yet her power was uncontrolled.

So she'd use others to make sure she had control.

Simple.

'**Good pet.**' Rokubi smirked. '**Just me and you.**'

'_Hmmm… Using others for my own greed… How humane…_'

Rokubi corrected her, '**How _demonic._**'

'_How me._'

'**How us.**' Rokubi corrected again.

'_How true._' She snickered mentally.

Hinata smiled, eyes watery. "I-I'm pathetic too." She started off quietly, and Richochet look up in surprise. "I-I'm too quiet…p-people push m-me around and I-I can't find myself speaking up for m-myself. I-I'm slow and n-not as good a-as cousin N-Neji. I-I'm supposed t-to b-be the heir of the Hyuuga clan…but I-I don't know how to be a good leader…I-I'm weak…"

Seeing her like this drove her to do something…but what? Comforting would be the obvious thing. But how do you comfort someone? Do you hug them? Give them kind words?

Richochet slowly took an arm from around her knee, the other still in place, and let her hand drift over to place the hand on the girls' head.

Hinata looked up in shock at the obviously unsure girl. "I'm not too good with this stuff… So um, feel better okay…?" Lava eyes soft instead of intense and fiery that she gave to everyone else made Hinata feel… wanted. "If… you were born… to be the heir… then… it must mean that you're _strong enough_ to be one. I think… it's just that… you haven't found your strength yet…"

Hinata smiled at the ground and wiped the small tears that shed.

"You… haven't found your purpose…"

"If only…" Hinata said softly, so much so that the otherworldly girl had to strain to hear. "Other people could see your really nice side. I think that… then they'd know you aren't really mean like you say you are. I hope more people can be as lucky as me."

Richochet's inflamed with embarrassment at her exceedingly kind words, redder than she had ever been. Her heart in the crystal ball glowed a pure white form the middle as she shook, tremors running through her. This was upsetting her way of life.

This was upsetting her cycle of power and control.

"Well, I… uh… um… Bye!"

In a very uncharacteristic way for the usually silver tongued, wittily, calm and collected, mocking girl, she fled the same way Neji went off to – having to climb instead - and without even knowing it, passing him, steps being stepped loudly.

* * *

Neji stayed there, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, processing what he heard. "She's more uncomfortable than most… but she really does try… I think." He mumbled very quietly to himself. "I wonder what happened to her to have _Hinata_ of all people put her so off her balance so easily while others can barely budge her." 

He thought about it for a moment.

Richochet didn't let whatever it was bother her. She just wasn't one for the dramatics... They were more… confessions. Of a sort.

Neji, himself, on the other hand, had let his fathers' death affect him for too long. Even after it was cleared up by his uncle. He wondered if he could try being… a little nicer to people?

He'd have to work on it, like his student would… but… it may just help in the long run.

Maybe.

'_Enough self-pitying for one day._' Neji snapped to himself, pushing himself out of it. '_I have to look after her from a distance as she wonders around this labyrinth of a village with emotions running all over. Damn emotional women._'

He leaped off into the trees, quiet as always; ignoring the fact it pissed him off as she got like this.

* * *

'**Words…_ Naïve. A few words, with changing the octaves and nuances, and she's absolutely choked up._**' Rokubi smirked as she washed her face with some clean water from the small, trickling cutely, waterfall along the ground. '**I think those were your words exactly. I guess I'm not the only one who can move you like that, hmm? Nice weakness.**' 

'_Shut up. I'm pathetic I know._' Richochet replied angrily wiping her face on the skirt thing she had on. '_I talk about how clinging is pathetic, yet I do it anyways…_'

'**May I bring something from your memories up?**'

'_Sure…_'

"_I feel it better to cling on. It's pretty pathetic actually…"_

"_Why would clinging be pathetic?" _

"_It's a weakness. Why would you want a weakness?" _

"_It may be a weakness, but a weakness can be overcome."_

Richochet gave a wistful half smile. "I don't think…I'd want to overcome this type of weakness."

'**Why would you not?**'

'_Then I'd…_' She didn't finish off, not wanting to.

'**Something else from that conversation, then?**'

"_Are you afraid of the answers you will find?"_

"_Are you afraid to answer?"_

Richochet had on a teasing smile and stood up, redness having let her cheeks. '_Using my memories against me is dirty._'

'**By your_ human_ standards it is.**' He spoke back haughtily. '**You really are a walking contradiction.**'

'_THAT'S because I'm hu…_'

Rokubi laughed arrogantly. '**Human?**'

Richochet reddened. '_Tch. I wouldn't know what to do if I was as perfect as the oblivious girl known as Chikoto Mizu._'

'**I'd of made sure you _died_ for sure when I flung you off that cliff.**' Rokubi scoffed. '**Now go search Konohagakure. This area is completely boring.**'

'_By your demon standards it is._' Richochet felt a small smirk touch her lips and she closed her eyes half way. '_I just happen to like calming _boring_ places. So just to piss you off and torment you. I'll stay. So. Ha. Ha. In. Your. Face. Weasel._'

This was her revenge against Rokubi for using her memories against her.

'**You know, I can just force some chakra into the seal and watch how you reel in the pain of it.**' He smirked at her confusion in her mind that he felt. '**Seals are extremely sensitive. If a person you like were to touch it lightly and gently, you'd be a puddle of warm sappy mush on the ground. If a person were to slam it with chakra however…oh the pain would be bad as being burnt and in this form with a huge weakness to fire...**'

Richochet winced at the thought. '_I take it back._'

'**Demons always have the upper hand.**'

'_They're also very arrogant. I guess that's why it leaked to me._' The demon carrier said smoothly as she walked to the edge of the forest. '_Do all us hosts feel as if we're really different and more 'special' than others in both a good and bad way?_'

'**I know you'd do for a fact…That Naruto kid wants to be a Hokage…So your theory is correct for now.**' He replied, for once being more open with his turn of phrase. '**Of course I'm more open now. I apologized didn't I? I just change my mind a lot on whether or not I want to be nice is all.**'

'_When it suits the situation, you do._' Richochet mocked him as she started walking back toward civilization from the edge of the colossal foliage she was just in.

'**Well, I wouldn't change my mind if the situation doesn't and since you bring up many situations, I'll have to change my mind a lot.**' He explained simply as if it were obvious.

She started walking into the markets, feeling as if everyone was staring at her. '_Damn I hate crowds._' The lava eyed teen looked around in boredom, moving her body slightly so she didn't have anyone bump into her as they bustled past. '_Usually I'd just push them back._'

'**You're tired. You can't expect the development from one world to another to just last a few days right?**'

'_True. I thought with a demon speeding up the process…_'

'**Speed it up? Pet, I'm an extra development for your body on its own; it's why you're ill for an extra month.**' He snickered in her mind, his sadistic streak becoming known.

Richochet scanned the area and noticed, next to a large store with a dark green overhead centerpiece with the words 'Nin-Weapons' which she would remember, was a small dog, only about up to her calf bone in her leg. It was shivering from the cold, floppy ears trying to cover it neck and chest more.

'…_Adorable dog…_'

'**Animals know I'm in you. Stay away – this one is the type of animal that is pact to a human.**'

Richochet nodded slightly before moving off again. She didn't really understand why she had to stay away from pact animals but the demon knew this world and its' inhabitants more than she did. This was Rokubi's home.

The place was lively and vibrant, echoing with laughter and gossip, something Richochet wasn't entirely too sure she was able to deal with. There was children running around, playing hopscotch and stuffing themselves with dango and Pocky and whatever treats kids eat in these parts of the world.

A small boy was running around with a girls doll, while there was a girl running after him, crying. The girl was dressed in an orange kimono and she had black hair in the odango atama style. Two buns in her hair like Tenten in other words. The boy was laughing as his friends guffawed and pointed at the small girl in mockery.

Any normal person would have gone straight over and taken the doll away and given it to the girl, giving the boy a stern lecture.

She wasn't a normal person.

Maybe she just didn't go up to the girl because she was in orange and Rokubi's aversion to orange was coming to her?

Watching and not bothering to do anything, she saw as the girl seemingly snapped, stomped up to the boy and punched him in the nose. He fell back with a cry and she grabbed the doll back and stomped away.

Richochet made a face that would have had a sweatdrop running down it.

"So…that's how it is over here."

"Yeah… How troublesome."

She turned to a pineapple hair styled boy who was about her age. He wore a green jacket with grey one underneath that had sleeves to his elbows. His trousers were what she had seen on some of the older Ninja and he had a holster attached to his right leg and those zori's they all seemed to like wearing.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do I pass the inspection?" His voice was slightly sarcastic and she instantly liked him.

"Do you _want_ to pass an inspection?" Her voice said in reply, somewhat mocking as per norm.

"No. Too troublesome."

Richochet liked leading people into her mental trap. "Then why ask if you do pass _my_ inspection?"

The man gave her a look, somewhat scrutinizing. "You're as non-bothering as I am."

"Seishou Richochet." She gave a smirk to him, lava eyes amused. She moved away from the building she had been leaning against unknowingly and looked up into the sky. Clear, not many clouds, but the clouds looked heavy. "Try not to be caught out in the snow later on."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "…Nara Shikamaru."

She nodded and looked away at some random food store. She hadn't exactly eaten anything since she had arrived here and her stomach was growling at her evilly. It was definitely time to find that damn Hyuuga of a teacher and get some food.

She looked around and saw a _warm_ looking place with the scent of ramen coming from it.

These were one of the times she really wished she had some of this worlds currency.

Shikamaru looked at her odd animal eyes that were glazed over and followed them to the store of…ramen? He groaned. Another ramen freak. What was so good about it anyway? It was just noodles in some broth stuff with different meats and vegetables…

"Tch. Damn women. C'mon." He grabbed her lower arm and ignoring her yelp of annoyance, tugged her over to the Ichiraku ramen restaurant so she could order some.

"Hey, I have no money on me!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome…I'm paying. It's cheap anyway."

"This is how you take woman on dates? Well, I now know _you're_ going to be single all your life." She said sarcastically, rolling her own eyes. "You should at least ask a girl…"

"It's not a date." Shikamaru smirked and sat down. He looked at her, mockingly. "It's charity."

"Yeah, charity for _me_ to be here with _you,_ that is." Richochet replied and sat down, it was soothingly warm in here, despite being really cold outside. Usually, she would have frozen to death outside and raced to be inside. She preferred warmth over the cold any day. "Winter sucks."

"Why?"

"There's _snow_."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Well…" Noticing the waitress come up, Richochet looked at the menu and took one of the cheapest as he was only her age and she knew she wouldn't have wanted to spend a fortune on some random person. "Miso, Shikamaru. I'd like Miso flavored."

"Sure." He looked up to the woman who was waiting for their orders patiently. "Ayame-nee, can I have a Chicken and a Miso please? Thanks. What's wrong with snow?"

Richochet sighed, feeling as though she was talking to a child who wouldn't give up with a question. She placed her hands together and rubbed them to generate heat. "…There're idiots who throw snowballs… I mean… Who wants to be _outside_ throwing snowballs when you can be _inside_ watching the idiots throwing the snowballs getting pelted with said ball of frozen water and _laughing_ at them where they _can't get you_?"

Yeah, she was mean like that.

But it was hella funny and who was she to deny herself free entertainment?

The Nara nodded his head in agreement. "True…true…It's too troublesome to be outside getting hit with cold balls."

Richochet smirked at him. '_Finally, someone who agrees with me!_'

He wasn't so bad, a little lazy like her and thought things were way too troublesome to deal with, but he wasn't so bad. Of course, he seemed to have the thing of trying to get information out of people without realizing it.

Wait, that was like her.

A dish was placed before her, and the aromatic scent of Miso ramen drifted up to her nose and made her instantly hungrier than before. Usually, she didn't eat much, never having the time to with training and education, but she had some free time, so she'd enjoy this.

She dug into it with her chopsticks yet held them a strange way. She put them in the space between her thumb and index finger and her index finger and middle finger as she fidgeted on her seat.

Shikamaru gave her an odd look, but she was too enthralled with her food. She chewed slowly, tasting, testing and seemed happy with it as she took a swallow.

'_Troublesome woman._' The Nara noticed that maybe she wasn't too used to eating food she hadn't really seen being prepared. '_Maybe she'd been poisoned before…It would certainly show why she eats like that and out of the other possibilities I have come up with, this is the most possible. _

He sweatdropped as he saw her subtlety spit out a vegetable.

A carrot?

Who doesn't like carrots?

'_Or maybe she's just fussy..._' He said, having that a better possibility now. '_Damn women. It's probably safe to just stay as acquaintances. I can't trust her – not yet._'

"I just don't like orange foods." Richochet said lightly to him, not even looking at him from the corner of her eyes as he ate his quicker than she did. "They make me wanna hurl." She fidgeted again. Picked some carrots out again and plopped them in his chicken ramen. Not that he minded.

"Uh-huh…troublesome woman." To him it seemed like the longer she was in a conversation with a stranger, the harder it got for her to not fidget.

Odd.

No, suspicious.

"Why are you buying me this food anyway?" She stirred the noodles around. "You don't know me at all. I'm just a person you met on the street who couldn't care less that a bunch of five year old boys were bullying a girl the same age."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck. Hit the nail on the head. "Actually, I knew of you before you knew of me. Sakura's best friend and rival is my team mate Ino and that girl has a troublesomely big mouth."

"Yeah…Haruno's got Mizu…poor pinkie…" She snickered. "Mizu is an oblivious idiot of a girl. The only thing she's got going for her is her looks… and she used to be wealthy. She's pretty smart actually. Smarter than I am…but her obliviousness is her downfall. She's duped easily. I should know. I've done it countless times before."

"What else about her then?"

"Well, she's a better person than I am. A pretty good girl, I suppose." Richochet shrugged. "I'm pretty ashamed of my past, but hell, it's formed who I am now. I just hope the future forms who I am _then_. Mizu is… different to me… but most definitely better…"

The pineapple hair shaped boy nodded. "You don't seem a person to admit someone is better than you."

Richochet snorted as a person entered the Ichiraku. "I might be a mean son of a bean, but I don't lie. I just don't find the need to. And some honest truths hurt worse than a lie. You gotta be cruel to be kind."

"Don't they just." A dry voice came from behind and Richochet grimaced upon realizing the voice belonged to her teacher. "Seishou Richochet. You were supposed to scout out your surroundings." He turned to the only one to become a Chuunin in the exams. "Nara."

"Hyuuga."

Richochet rolled her eyes and scoffed. '_Males_.'

'**Men, you mean.**'

'…_Mm, nope…definitely males._'

Rokubi growled, pouting a little in her mind.

"I did scout…I just got a little side tracked." She mumbled even though both the males heard it. "Anyway, if you're hungry you're hungry." She turned back to her half eaten ramen and was about to eat when she turned back again to Neji. "You want the rest of the noodles?"

"Hmph." Neji snorted. "Don't be stupid."

"Can't say I didn't offer." She shrugged uncaringly and ate her own ramen more quickly than before. "It's pretty good stuff."

Neji looked around the shabby restaurant and eventually sat down on the other side of Richochet. He might as well get used to the quality his student put herself at. He'd have to be around her for quite a long time.

"Would you like to order, sir?" Ayame asked, pushing some brown hair from her view of the note pad.

"Hmm…Miso ramen." Neji replied dully.

Ayame smiled and nodded. "It's coming right up!" She bustled away, taking another order.

Richochet found her self getting uncomfortable around two people society would consider her friends. With one person she could go brain to brain with, but with two likely to go against her one, it'd be bad. Especially as they barely know her and would want information on her so they could react accordingly.

She fidgeted again, nearly finishing off her noodles. It was odd how she was fine amongst adults when they talker to her and she could brazenly talk back insultingly and how she was fine with the Hyuuga children, but when it came to those she would grow up around who were her age…

…It got awkward. And sometime her silver tongue would take over.

In these crisis's it was best to just be quiet and listen.

Though when you have a lazy pineapple headed brainiac who couldn't be bothered to speak and a person who wouldn't speak unless he felt you were good enough, there wasn't much to listen to.

Quickly going back to her food, she took out the carrots and put them in Shikamaru's bowl once again.

And to think she had really enjoyed carrots in a meal once.

'_I blame you._'

'**_If you wanna get poisoned…_**' Rokubi tutted. '**Go ahead.**'

'_I WILL -_'

Shikamaru raised a brow. "Carrots won't poison you, you know."

Richochet just gave him an amused look.

"Sure they won't."

'**-Brat.**'

'_You know it_.' A smirk crept up her lips.

On each side of Richochet the boys saw that smirk and looked each other in the eye with an eyebrow raised.

Shaking their heads, they went back to their meal, thinking the same thing.

'_Women._'

"Can…we get a Lemon Popsicle after?" Richochet asked and got a pair of disbelieving looks. "What? I have an addiction."

* * *

I REALLY wanna know what you thought of this chapter and how you perceive Richochet now. It's getting me all antsy and stuff. SO please review and tell me. Is she getting too mary sue, or have I done this right?

Much obliged if you review and tell me. I'd like some constructive criticism.

Thanks for reading!

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**R.**

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	8. Chapter VIII

**Uwee hee! Numbah eight is up!**

_My thankies too..._

_Moogle in Paradaisu - Child of Phoenix - Zero Asakura - CatrinaCat45 - InuzukaxIno_

_Keep reviewing please! I love knowing what you guys think._

Read on!

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**Chapter Eight**

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It was a week later after the two girls had been found (Richochet had slept for a couple days after being violently ill) that Sakura had been summoned by the Hokage and the smartest girl of her year knew it was about her new resident in the Haruno home, Chikoto Mizu.

Standing in front of the Hokage, the pink haired kunoichi had just finished her report.

Tsunade nodded at Sakura. "So, Mizu's coming along better than you expected?" She leaned forward, threading fingers together and hiding the bottom part of her face. "I didn't think she'd be as good as you say."

"She's a natural Ninjutsu expert and her chakra control is really good for a beginner." Sakura replied thoughtfully. "She has a good memory too, I think she's got a photographic memory. So that's really good. She's also good at Genjutsu and her Taijutsu is only a little behind."

"What about weaponry and her aim?" Tsunade inquired, thinking what profession of Nin the Chikoto girl fell into.

The medic-nin in training smiled. "She got great aim. She says she used to go archery every weekend for a few years, so it helped strengthen her aim and precision."

"Sounds like a perfect kunoichi." Tsunade frowned and picked up her green tea as she ate some dango. '_It's like she's too good to be true. I can't believe that someone could do so and such a short time. Even that Uchiha Itachi had to go to the academy for a year._'

"Yeah…" Sakura smiled faintly, feeling a bit underappreciated. "…She does."

"Hmm…I wonder how that Seishou is doing…"

"You mean Richochet?" The pink haired Nin asked softly. "I heard she wasn't doing that well with her chakra or something… Neji-san isn't really forthcoming about information. Even to Tenten."

"Yes, he's quite protective of himself and those he has under his protection. And as his student, Richochet is one of those under his protection. I wonder why she isn't getting any progress on her chakra of all things." Tsunade said airily.

The kunoichi nodded, agreeing on the question but having her own theories. "Well, we both know illness can affect how chakra is used…And she really looked out of it when Team Gai found her. She was a wreck. Then again, Mizu was slightly emotionally shell shocked, even though she woke up in a lake drowning…"

Sakura frowned. If that happened to her she would have freaked out and after being saved, would be in her room, trying to get over a fear of lakes and drowning. Who wouldn't though?

Tsunade nodded also. "Yes. It would take some time for her to get over it. Especially how she was vomiting like that…" She grimaced and drank some tea to settle her suddenly clenching stomach.

"I'm sure she'll get better soon." Sakura said warmly. "Then she can catch up to Mizu-chan!" Then she gave it an extra thought. "Well, it may take quite a while with the way Mizu is going."

The Hokage thought back to the two girls' personalities. While Mizu was upbeat, cheerful and full of life and vigor, Richochet was more sarcastic, probing, determined and intense. It was odd that Mizu would attach herself to a girl like Richochet. People like Mizu would naturally ignore the more unsociable ones and flock to other happy people. Those like Richochet would watch on the sideline, thinking their own cunning thoughts.

She should know. She once had two like that on her team. Jiraiya and Orochimaru. It was the same for Team Seven with Naruto and Sasuke – if Naruto didn't have the Kyuubi that is. And the same for Team Gai with Lee and Neji.

Though, Orochimaru was the one who was the extraordinary one when it came to being a Nin. Tsunade had expected the same off of Richochet and Mizu, as history liked to repeat itself. And Neji seemed willing to teach her so he must have seen something in her.

If he didn't, the Hokage would definitely have known about it when she said anything about him having a new student.

So to hear that Richochet was far behind while Mizu sped along was quite shocking. Neji was a genius, after all. he wouldn't be nice about it and would demand the best.

"I hope she'll catch up soon…" Sakura sighed.

Tsunade nodded, wanting to roll her eyes. "The Hyuuga will make sure of it."

"Um…Will Sasuke be alright?"

"He's been out of it for weeks…" Tsunade said thoughtfully. "But he should come about very soon."

Sakura sighed in relief. "Well, when he wakes up, will you send word?"

"Of course."

* * *

"No, the fingers have to touch side by side, not pad to pad." Neji corrected her hand sign for the horse, the seventh sign he had to teach her out of the twelve zodiacs. This was the easiest so far for her for some odd reason, he thought quickly, moving his larger longer fingers to position them correctly. "At least you got it on the second try. Unlike the others..."

He was referring to the previous hand signs that took eight turns just to get into a right position.

Man, who knew it was so detailed?

"You know, when I asked to learn something, hand gestures weren't in my mind." Richochet said dryly to him even though she had a half eaten lemon popsicle in her mouth, giving him a bored stare. It wasn't her fault these were so irritating! How they learnt these as children was perplexing to her.

Stupid mystic signs…

"Hmph." Neji scowled at her annoyance, exasperated at her lack of knowledge. "Those _hand gestures,_ as you call them, are called sign weaves."

"So? They're still hand gestures. You move your _hands_ into these _gestures_ of animal signs, so they're _hand gestures._" She grabbed the lemon popsicle in one hand and held the other out, palms up, a small smirk on her face. "What are you, stupid?"

BOP.

"…Ow…" She rubbed her head tenderly. "You always get that damn sensitive spot…"

Neji rolled his eyes. "Just concentrate."

Knowing he was getting ticked off enough for him to hit her, Richochet redid the hand gesture, sticking the lemon popsicle in her mouth, and looked down at the odd sign her hand were making. '_The horse sign…my zodiac sign._' "I guess it's because it's my zodiac sign." She replied, referring to how she could do this so easily. "What's yours?"

"The. Dog." The Hyuuga replied through gritted teeth. "Now-"

"Aren't you _my_ age? So wouldn't you be a horse too?" She said as if he really _was_ stupid. She quickly ate a couple bites after and he clenched his fist.

Neji gritted his teeth again and bopped her on the head harder than before. She really had to learn to dodge or at least block him... She could anyway, but she let him, knowing it was a teacher thing. Gramps had done the same thing. "It's the year of the rat now and is soon the year of the Ox. _You_ are the wrong one."

Swallowing another bite and finishing it, she frowned. "Nooo… It's just turning the year of monkey." Richochet was slightly annoyed now and glared at him.

Neji just crossed his arms and closed his eyes, smirking. "That's in your world, not this world."

Richochet gritted her teeth. Damn him for being smarter than her! "Damn. Well then, what day is it?"

"December the third." He answered agitated. The Hyuuga didn't like his training interrupted by silly question like these. "Just practice those seven for now seeing how quickly you can do them while I do my own training I've been missing for_ your_ teaching. Don't use any chakra. Now I know you can't seem to use it until you get the illness over…"

Richochet watched his jaw clench and unclench as he gritted his teeth and glared at her.

"Oh _yes, _It's _my _fault I have a sucky health system, isn't it?" She scowled right back at him as Hinata appeared, placing down some tea.

"Hmph."

'_Well, at least he replied… in a weird 'guy called Neji way'._' She crossed her arms and relented on the scowl just doing an annoyed look. "So, aren't you go to train, oh _great sensei?_"

'**I could teach you better anyway.**' Rokubi spoke as Neji walked off some meters for his own space to train in. He started his own family's martial arts style, Gentle Fist, and she could feel the heat blasts of energy rolling through him more than usual.

They were in the courtyard of the Hyuuga housing complex with the single tree. '_I guess he wanted to catch up on his own training. Can't blame him. Okay Rokubi, give me some training._' She added, going over to Hinata, smirking in 'hello', put the popsicle stick down and jogged back to her place.

Rokubi spoke as she sat down, legs crossed. '**Your bloodline limit. I've decided to call it 'Nen Seishou' no Jutsu. And the eyes? Just Kazangan. Lava eyes. like Byakugan, white eyes of evil eyes. Can't remember.**'

'_Feeling energy technique?_' Richochet blinked, going over the seven hand signs she had learnt so far with her hand. '_Makes sense and it has my family name too. But, I know Neji-sensei, as he insists I call him, told me you have the hand symbols for jutsu…but what jutsu do I have if it's _bloodline,_ meaning family only?_'

'**Uh…all bloodline limits are created. You get to be lucky and create it!**'

Her hands, about to form the tiger sign, clenched into fists. '_I'm going to find a way to hurt you. And when I find it one day. You will hurt. Extremely._'

Rokubi smirked in her mind. '**Sure you will. Now practice your bloodline limit a little. You have to start focusing on your surroundings far more.**'

'_Greeeat. As if I'm not normal enough, I have to be paranoid to top it off._' The demon just chuckled as her heart pendant lifted up to her eye height and swayed left and right in front of her face. '_What's my heart doing? Damn, that's weird to say._'

'**Giving you it's Key.**' Rokubi said lightly, as if he were an animal dazing in the sun. '**You've stabilized in this world now.**'

'_Stabilized in this world?_' She questioned in annoyance. '_I don't think I've ever been '_stable_' per say…Wait, you mean I had the chance to go back?!_'

'**Well, you'd have to kill yourself again…and I don't think you'd revive again since I killed you off in that world…**' Rokubi shrugged, you could tell it in his voice. '**It didn't matter anyway. I have just enough power to make sure you don't die.**'

'_I may be mean, rude, contradicting and unstable, but I'm not suicidal. Anyway, between suicidal and sadistic, I'd be sadistic all the time._' The lava eyed girl nodded to her self.

'**Uh-huh…**' He said lazily, picking up the human slang from her.

The heart's keyhole shimmered for a second and then a small silver key presented itself with a minute flash of lightning. A thin metal chain, about a couple millimetres thick dangled half way to the ground, long enough to dangle to the bottom of her demon seal if she wore it. And wore it she did as she hid it, wrapping it around her neck twice so it only went to below her developing chest.

'_Weird. I guess you were actually _right_ about it!_' She said mockingly, laughing in her mind at him.

'**Just concentrate on making a new jutsu or how to get better acquainted with what you have.**'

'_M'kay._'

She allowed her whole body to slow down using a breathing technique her psychologist prescribed once. It didn't exactly work great back in her dimension in Earth, but this was a new dimension with new effects so it should help.

What was it? Oh, yeah, breathe in seven, hold seven, let out seven. But at the same time she had to try and focus on concentrating. Focusing on the nearest life source she tried looking at his chakra energy following and it was difficult. The energy kept on swimming through those energy tubes quickly.

Well, if his energy wouldn't slow down, she'd chase it with her own. Gathering up what little she could, even against the feelings of concern from Rokubi, she flung it out and let it attach through once of Neji's tenketsu and inserted it smoothly and softly. The feeling she gained from doing so was of strange tranquillity before most of her energy was pushed out again by the magnitude of his.

She slammed onto her back and groaned. She opened her eyes and looked at the still Neji, who was staring at her blankly. She instinctively had found that once she had seen it once she could lock on to it again and again with any trouble.

"Whoa…" Richochet sat up shakily before falling back to the ground.

'**Perfect new jutsu there. You can find a persons tenketsu and insert your own and doing…what, exactly?**'

'_If I can do it the other way around…I can zap them off their chakra and use it for my own devices…Or maybe I could stop the flow of it completely with your energy… Nen Seishou no jutsu and my Kazangan can be used in so many ways. I can do anything with my own and anyone's chakra…_'

'**A very lethal weapon. It seems to stun them on contact…No, wait; he was just shocked you were actually able to plug a tenketsu from a distance. Except…That you were covered in green healing chakra again and it healed him. However, though it may be a lethal weapon-**'

'_I was seriously vulnerable…If an assassin came just now…So my own vulnerability to heal another or kill another._'

'**How about you open your _eyes_ this time?**'

'_Yeah, yeah…bumblebee…_'

'**What?**' Rokubi said incredulously and then felt a tingling of warmth. '**Oh damn, she's one for being delirious in fevers. I'm not a bumblebee! I'm an evil demon that likes hearing your mockingly sarcastic annoying ways!**'

Hinata, who had been watching for a few minutes, raced over. "Seishou-san!"

Neji stormed over and bopped her head because of being a moron and using chakra when ill, but then realized she was boiling hot and with fever as his fist moved away from her aching head.

"For god's sake…" He muttered and picked her up gently, ignoring her moan of annoyance. She was ill and he wasn't always heartless.

Then again, he didn't want his first student to be a drop out and rip apart his reputation by being a shite teacher.

God knows what would happen to him then.

Neji growled as he carried Richochet's boiling form to the bed. "First puking like no tomorrow and now fevers." He placed her on it quickly as Hinata followed with a worried look on her face and a small towel floating in a cold water filled bucket.

"S'not m'fault…" Richochet mumbled, words bumbling together and some kind of humming tune came out of her mouth, followed by actual words in a strange drunken slur of singing. "And I don't want the world to see me… 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand… when everything's made to be broken, I jus' want you to know who I am."

Hinata blinked. "U-um…"

"…" Neji just looked at her and silently agreed. What kind of song lyrics were those anyway?

Then she stilled and Hinata took the chance to place the small white towel, soggy from the cold water it sponged up, on her forehead and wincing when she made a sound of irritation slash moaning. It was hard to watch the usually calm and collected girl make a sound of pain.

Hinata was saddened. Just what disease did she have? Was it curable? She had said it wasn't contagious… but Hinata was sure there was something more to it than what she said. The words she had used and the tone was somewhat…

"Has Seishou told you anything about this disease, Hinata-sama?" Neji questioned quietly. He might barely accept the girl and dislike her a whole lot, but he still was her teacher.

"_In fact, I want you to teach her Neji. Hyuuga Neji – Seishou Richochet is your pupil. You are responsible for her. Completely responsible. As in health, housing, teaching…and it goes on."_

Direct words from the Hokage, the unspoken sentence was to make sure she wasn't a spy, infiltrating his home. Yet, he could quite tell she wasn't from around here…or anywhere _near_ here.

She just seemed… so oblivious to what was going on, and she was very aware of things…

Most of the time, anyway.

Hinata looked up as the door bell went. She turned on the Byakugan and saw that her team mate, Kiba, had arrived with Akamaru in his hood. The members of the Hyuuga family knew that if one if Hinata's team mates came around then Hinata would go see what's going on. The same for Neji and his comrades. "I-I will go s-see what K-Kiba-kun needs."

* * *

Hinata opened the main housing complex double doors and was greeted by the sight of a grinning Kiba. Akamaru yelped happily and jumped into her arms, soft shiny fur glistening happily in the 'four in the afternoon' darkening light of December. He licked the back of her palm once in salutation.

"K-Kiba-kun, A-Akamaru-Inu…" She smiled softly.

"Hey, Hinata-chan." Kiba grinned at her. "How's it going?"

"I-I'm fine, but R-Richochet, N-Neji-nii's student, i-is ill with fever." She replied shyly. "I-I'm looking a-after her with N-Neji-nii."

Kiba blinked. "Huh…You are? So I guess you can't go to the Barbeque with me and sis… Oh!" He remember something and a crafty smile lit his face as he looked at her. "Shikamaru asked about her. He said 'Kiba, if you see Hinata, then tell her to tell that troublesome woman she keeps that my team mates want to meet her.' Do you know what he really means?"

"N-no…"

"It means…Shika-boy is actually interested in a girl!"

Hinata blinked at Kiba. "Um, h-he may a-actually want her b-because of his teammate's r-request."

"Eh? What makes you think that?" Kiba said as Akamaru jumped from Hinata's arms to his hood. "He is a guy, you know."

"S-she's the same age a-as u-us, s-she comes from another w-world and she has to catch u-up to us rookie nine."

"Yeah well, that's…" Kiba pouted angrily, "…True…"

Hinata just smiled nervously. She never really gave her opinion much and found it really hard but at least Kiba had taken it into consideration. "Um I-I think it is b-because s-she's only met him once. But h-he might someday. Like h-her, I-I mean."

Akamaru whined at Kiba.

"So, anyway, I gotta go. Come next time okay?" Kiba grinned again. "Neji is supposed to look after his woman."

"H-His woman…?" Hinata blushed at the thought of the exploding chemistry that could be among them. Instead of them fighting and Neji bopping her head in irritation and Richochet smirking while insulting him and them squabbling back and forth, a picture of them being…_together_ was… a laugh, really.

They were so similar that it seemed they'd be brother and sister rather than a couple.

Then again, with Neji, she wasn't sure how he would do his 'courting'.

With Kiba he'd probably get her a puppy to look after just so he could come over and try his 'charms' on his chosen girlfriend.

With Shikamaru it's probably be cloud watching and playing chess.

With Naruto it would probably be buying the girl he likes ramen and picking weed-like flowers from a field…

She blushed heavily at the thought of Naruto bringing _her_ flowers and buying _her_ ramen because he liked her.

But with Neji…?

….

Hinata thought of the scene in her mind, blush drifting away slightly as Kiba stared at her, vaguely worried.

_

* * *

Neji strode in the room. Looking for Richochet, who was conveniently placed on the ground reading a huge and long scroll, the roll of it all around the room, he walked over bent down and stared her in the eye._

_Richochet gave him a raised eyebrow._

"_What?" She questioned. "Am I the south side of a magnet and you the north side or something? Why must you always bother me?"_

"_Yes. You are my girlfriend." He replied, eyes narrowed, making sure she complied as he grabbed her upper arm._

"_Che." Ricochet scoffed in amusement. "Yeah right. Take a hike, Hyuug- Mph!" Her eyes widened at what he had done._

_He pressed his lips to hers dominantly for a few seconds before moving back. "You're my girlfriend. I've decided." He nodded and stood up, taking her with him._

"_You can't decide for me!" She growled, baring her teeth._

_Neji snorted, dragging her close to him. "Well, everyone knows you are now."_

"_Uh… how and why?" She spoke dangerously through her gritted teeth, pulling her arms out of his hold._

"_I told everyone to stay the hell away from you because you're mine."_

_Her eyes narrowed at his smug look and decided to do a very feminine thing._

_Slap!_

_Richochet walked out the room with a smirk on her face, leaving behind a 'red hand printed on cheek' Neji holding his cheek tenderly._

* * *

Hinata put her hands up to her face. '_Oh dear…_'

"Uh, you okay?"

"I-I'm s-sorry." She put her hands up, eyes widening in despair. '_Neji-nii _would_ do something like that!_'

"Alright, later Hinata!" Kiba bounded away into the trees to get to the Barbeque the shortest way.

She raised a hand in farewell before quickly moving inside again, cheeks still slightly red from the Naruto thought.

* * *

It's was at least a half hour that something happened.

Then Richochet started shivering and sat up. Hinata made a sound of alarm as the otherworlder stood up and started walking to the door. Neji frowned and grabbed her left shoulder and collarbone with his left arm.

"It's'okay Gr'mpa…I c'n fight for you t'nigh. It's justa head'ehc…" She muttered, words slurring even worse than before. "I'm jus dyin' ya dumb rich bs'tard, but I'll st'll figh' for ya. Dn't hur' Shoko-dono… M'beggin ya, bs'tard…"

Neji heard Hinata gasp at the foul language but his head spun with the new information this fever was giving. He then frowned and let her go.

"Neji-nii!" Hinata said, breathlessly surprised. "W-What a-are…?"

"Don't worry. Just follow." He nodded towards the towel and the bucket, no bothering to help or wait. He still wasn't too comfortable around the heir of the Hyuuga family when on his own. Richochet usually got his mind off of it by insulting him cunningly or pushing him to teach her something when she was around them.

Noting she had disappeared due to his hesitance, he switched to something he could rely on. "Byakugan." She was out in the courtyard again and was in a bow before slowly rising again.

He walked out after leaving the door open for Hinata, and quietly passed the Hyuuga Head's room before speeding up again, wondering if the head heard and if he would punish them somehow.

* * *

In fact, the head also had his Byakugan as was watching in amusement.

Hiashi settled back on his bed, getting comfortable.

"She sure is giving Neji-kun hassle." He chuckled slightly, holding the cover to his bare waist as he took a sip of the wine from the glass in his left hand, letting the fruity taste drip down his throat smoothly.

"A Seishou, hmm? No one seems to remember that clan name but me." He murmured to the empty room, swishing the wine around the glass as he moved it in an unhurried circular motion. "How peculiar." The head watched as a frown covered Neji's face when he turned back to his daughter, grabbed the bucket and quickly took off.

A frown lit his face and then it went into a cunning little smile. "For Neji…He seems a bit too…worried?"

* * *

Through the haze of her mind, she kept on hearing a voice.

'**Why are you training in the courtyard without your sensei?**' The voice growled to her, but she wasn't afraid of it. Rather, she felt as if it were a companion for her. It'd be odd if he didn't speak to her. '**Do you want to get hurt even more?**'

'_Maaaaaybeeeee…_' She giggled in her mind. '_You are my bumblebeeee…!_'

Rokubi seemed to choke. '**_WHAT?_**'

'…_Huh?_' Richochet replied softly, bowing and then slowly going up again, feeling the dust under her zori's that hadn't been taken off. '_Grandpa? I'm gonna go and train now…Don't hurt Shoko! Please!_'

There was a momentary pause. '**I won't. Train.**'

'_Yes, Grandfather Vincent._'

Rokubi purred in her mind, knowing she was delusional when feverish. It was rather… disconcerting, listening to her mind rambles, but at least it was to him and not anyone else who could hear.

'**Crazy human…**' He mumbled as she stood up straight. He watched as she moved into a defensive motion and quickly grabbed her right hand that was in a fist with her left hand, fingers splayed across the right as if not touching the imaginary claws, and slammed her elbow into an imaginary persons' stomach.

Then, as if the imaginary person had been caught off guard and bent over, spitting out saliva and blood, and another person was about to swing something like a katana at her horizontally, she ducked, swept her right hand out and slashed the ducking persons neck. She twisted around to face the person with the imaginary katana and went to slash his stomach, but he had moved backwards to avoid it, slamming the katana down.

Jumping back and easily dodging the blow, her brain produced the sound of an angered person behind her charging, and she gritted her teeth in anger. Rolling off to the side she quickly did a back flip and watched as the two imaginary men charged at her. She went into an animal stance of the leopard and was about to give a leopard punch (Bao Chui) when they stopped charging.

She was about to call out in anger as suddenly the two men stopped and turned into…

"Shoko…" She looked at the nine year old girl who was an exact replica before moving to the fifteen year old boy and flinched. Badly. "…Tengu? Sister… Big brother?"

"Why?"

Suddenly the two men charged at her again.

"You promised not to fight again."

"_Seishou._"

Richochet dropped her fists.

"That is it!"

"_Seishou!_"

'_I didn't cut my hair because I swore that I only fight with short hair. I swore to her. And because I have long hair, I can't fight._'

'**How will you live with not fighting?**' That voice asked questioningly, confused and almost disgusted. '**You fight because it is who you are. You are a fighter; it's how you've survived.**'

'_But…Shoko…_'

'**Is dead. And that is it.**'

"SEISHOU!" Neji bellowed in her ear and she blinked, snapping out of it. Turning her head sharply to his she groaned and grabbed her nose as it collided with his. "Damnit Richochet!"

She winced, hearing going crazy. Her body was on overload. She didn't realize she was shaking. She didn't realize that her body was also swaying from exhaustion. She didn't realize she was sweating frantically.

"Stupid Seishou…" Neji muttered, yet she still heard it.

It was amazing she hadn't sensed him out during her feverish illusions.

'**You're first stage illness is complete. You can now use chakra properly. Though it may be better to sweat that fever out, take a break by 'scouting' again and getting yourself into the crowd so the other ninja of your age know you.**' Rokubi advised. '**If you even think of calling me a mother hen…**'

She didn't want to. Rokubi could be pretty damn scary while talking normally.

"To hear a demon speak like a human is an odd thing. To hear a human speak like a demon is a normal thing." Richochet spoke quietly through the silent courtyard. "I wonder why…"

Neji felt his eyebrow twitch. "Hmph. Your philosophical moments piss me off." He snarled and held her as she was about to fall and continued his sentence in his strategic and logical mind. '…_Because I don't know how to answer to them without reflecting on myself._'

"Why?" She asked groggily and Neji tried to stop his nose from wrinkling in disgust. She smelled… It must be the fever's doing… but she smelt like a kind of animal or something. "Don't like thinking of yourself? Does yourself disgust you? Or, do you fear the answer?"

Neji ignored the smell. And her. "Hinata, bring Richochet to the bathing quarters. Richochet, just go." He added at his student's annoyance.

"I'm not _that_ weak you kn-" She fell over as he let her go and landed on the ground with a groan. "Ground, how _do_ I keep meeting you like this?" She questioned sarcastically. "Oh, _thaaat's_ right," She emphasized heavily on the 'that's' word. "It's because of my stupid sensei… When will he be nice to me?"

"Never if you don't do as I say. Now go with Hinata to the bathing quarters."

With that said Neji turned about face and strode off with his hands in pockets, Richochet glaring lasers into his back as Hinata coughed nervously wondering why Richochet seemed to be in her care more than Neji's.

"Let's g-go, R-Richochet-san."

Usually, a person would correct the shy girl and say to call them without any added suffix.

Right now, Richochet was too exhausted to care.

"Fine. Could you do me a favour or two?"

Hinata smiled slightly as Richochet looked up at her tiredly. "Y-Yes…?"

"If I said something weird…ignore it… Oh, and just let me wash myself. Please."

"D-Do you want a l-lemon pop afterwards?"

Richochet gave a small half smirk, leaning on Hinata. "Why, thank you."

* * *

"_So…It's back?"_

"_Yes_."

"_Good work. I knew I could count on you._"

* * *

_Oh I liked this one. Especially the bumblebee bit. That was good to write._

_I'll be updating quite soon, too._

_Yeppers, this one was definitely needed. Plot wise, a few things that needed to happen happened and even had some comical bits in. I think. Well, amusing at least._

_And the last bit... my, my, what could be happening there?_

_Is it what you think? Is it not what you think? _

_Stay tuned!

* * *

_

_**R.

* * *

**_


	9. Chapter IX

_I told you this would come out soon, didn't I? _

_Wait, I did, didn't I? _

_Uh..._

**Anywho, huggles to...**

_Hibiki-chan - Fallen Insanity - Moogle In Paradaisu - Zero Asakura (Definitely too much KHII! XD!) Firerose13 (Richochet? Running someone's patience to the quick? NEVAR! Ha!)_

_Much love to you guys!_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Nine**

**

* * *

**

Two days later, Neji glared at Richochet.

"No."

She frowned.

"I'm going."

He scowled.

"No."

She scowled back at him.

"I said I'm going!"

Seeing her becoming irritated slash angered, of all things – something that rarely happened with her – at his objection, he let a smirk light his lips.

"I said _no._"

Richochet let her lips thin to show him that she was becoming more than annoyed. She'd been in this damn bed for more than two days now and her fever had gone for a _whole day._ There was no way she was staying in the nice, warm, soft… '_Gah! Snap out of it! It's just a bed!_'

'**And a nice bed at that.**' Rokubi purred at her.

'_Hush, you. You're not helping._' The demon sealed girl muttered back.

Anyway, it was obvious her illness was over. Who cared that she still felt weak, that she was still a little warm and toasty – it was the bed, God _damnit_ and _not_ the illness. She could be doing other things, such as winding the Hyuuga boy up, or training, or learning about her surroundings and where she was currently living.

That was it, her surroundings!

"_You_ said I should scout the area." Richochet replied smoothly, crossing her arms and sitting up. She never was an inside person, though she did like lounging around and doing things like reading – just not inside, was all. The room was boring to look at even if homely in its simplicity.

Sure, there were scrolls to read about chakra and what it was and how she could use it. Heck, there were even some jutsu's of the basic kind too, but she knew the Hyuuga was just rubbing it in her face as well.

He was just playing the teacher card, playing innocent when she glared at him.

Oh, scratch that.

He'd been mockingly smirking at her.

'_Bastard._'

Rokubi gave the impression of rolling his eyes at her.

She was already in her old clothes, too, waiting to get up and out.

They were a pair of tight black shorts with two lines down the sides and the spaghetti strap top. She even had her weights and bandages on to get right into the training she had missed. Her new shoes, zori's, next to the nice bed she was currently sleeping in, were waiting to be put on, begging her to use them and walk around.

And she'd be damned if she wouldn't.

Neji sighed silently, exhaling through his nose, but outwardly he just showed signs of mild annoyance.

"I'm also saying you need to rest."

Richochet crossed her arms and glared off to the side and…

Neji raised an eyebrow.

Was she… _pouting?_

Yep, her bottom lip was slightly jutted out.

He inwardly snickered.

'How _cute,'_ The Hyuuga thought mockingly and then narrowed his eyes for a clearer view and then felt surprise roll through him momentarily. '_She doesn't even realize she's pouting._' He shook his head, putting the image out of his head.

Seeing he wasn't going to budge, an idea quickly came to being within her cunning mind. It was used a lot, especially with the member of the opposite sex but… It was worth a shot. Hopefully it hadn't happened to him before.

And yes, she was that desperate to get out of the place – she felt stuffed up, suffocating, the walls felt as if they were closing in on her, slowly but surely.

Yep, she was slightly claustrophobic, Catoptrophobic and also taphophobic too and had a fear of some other things too. She didn't like graves in other words, had a slight fear for them like she did for closed spaces and the same for a mirror.

Yes, she hated mirror's to the point of fear.

But if there was a fear she had to admit instead of the others, it would be being claustrophobic.

But having another person in the room with her made her feel better. And she was used to Neji and Hinata being around her nearly all the time, so it was better when one of those two were there instead of others.

Not that she'd ever say that to either of them, especially Neji.

"…Whatever. Why should I care what you want?" Richochet griped to herself and flushed the silk covers away from her body, showing the tanned body off a bit as the shorts had crept up to her thighs slightly.

Neji scowled again and walked over, pushing her down.

He didn't see the small smirk across her lips and she grabbed his wrists and turned their positions, so he was the one lying down on the warm bed and she was the one above him on all fours... well, two's.

He narrowed his eyes and was about to get back up again when she ducked her head and swept her lips across his while tugging her feet into the zori's by the bed and his eyes widened dramatically, surprised.

Grinning against his lips, she nipped and suckled on the bottom lip and then pulled the teased lip down to sweep her tongue into his mouth, knowing it was probably his first kiss with the way he was arrogant all the time. He tasted oddly of shortbread, something she was fond of when young and having lived in England.

Neji, dazed, reacted on instinct and moved his own tongue against hers. Heat spread into them inflaming them from the mouth downwards and Richochet heard Rokubi chuckling.

'**First stage complete indeed…**'

It gave her some sense, as she had been slowly forgetting what she had planned and why she had planned it. For a beginner at this, Neji sure knew how to get to the right spots – for her anyway.

'_What…?_'

'**This.**'

A small yet pleasing tremble ran through her and when he felt it on his lips, he trembled, body heating in reaction, hair of the back of his neck standing on end as her heat seared into him. Deciding to try and go and dominate, his tongue started lapping against hers, hungry as he pressed more against her, moving her head back.

He felt as if he had stolen her fever as prickles of warmth overflowed him and he strained to get closer still.

His hand touched her right cheek very lightly and was about to grip his other hand in her hair when Richochet finally got her zori's on properly and sped out of the room at light speed, having grabbed the scroll of basic jutsu he had written and sliding it in her blades hip pouch on the way.

Neji blinked, somewhat out of breath as he went over what just happened.

She had just kissed him.

And for young teen it had been hot.

He had enjoyed it.

He knew should have not.

The Hyuuga genius ran a hand over his face, trying to calm his racing heartbeat.

It had felt… _Good._ Better than good.

It was drugging. He wanted it again. He wanted to eat her up and keep her so he could do that again and again and again.

He swallowed, tasting the odd blend of her medicine with her normal taste of refreshing lemon tasting ice she kept on demanding for and looked off to the side of the room. He never really tasted lemon before…

It was…nice.

Great. He liked kissing her. He wondered if it would be the same with all girls. Or just with her?

Neji rubbed a temple in confusion. Why was he thinking like this? He needed to concentrate on his Kaiten and Gentle Fist! Not on girls like other normal guys their age! He was NOT like the rest of them!

How could one kiss do this? He was physically battling his hormones here! And who knows if he was winning?

Then he snapped himself out of it and looked around the room.

Bare.

He felt a vein twitch in his forehead. "Seishou!"

He ran out after her.

* * *

From the door opposite, Hinata had done something. 

She had seen everything with her Byakugan as she was meditating to see how long she could keep it on.

"O-Oh my…"

She never thought Richochet would be one to start it.

Then again, people were different behind closed doors.

And that odd yellow stormy like energy in her of immense proportions… what was it?

What was going on in that girl?

* * *

Richochet snickered madly in her mind. '_And here I was, thinking he'd be a plank out of shock._' She smirked, running through the woods to the market streets and then into the back alleys near the hot springs. 

Breathing deeply, she slowed down near a wooden fence and wiped the back of her hand against her forehead.

"Eh, dattebayo?! OH, IT'S YOU!"

Richochet looked up at the orange covered, blonde haired Genin in some surprise but not much. She had felt him with her constant Kazangan. She figured it stayed on because of Rokubi in all with all that excess energy. "Naruto-san?"

Naruto blushed as she focused on him out of embarrassment and nervousness. Her eyes were creepy… "Ah, eh, 'ttebayo! Just call me Naruto! All my friends do!"

"You'd consider me a friend?" Richochet backed up a step. "What if I stab you in the back? What if I betray the country and join another? What if I unleash a monster full of violence on this place? Would you still consider me a friend?"

'**Again with the psychoanalysis! That poor Kyuubi-holder…**'

"Eh?" Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Well, yeah, I'm your friend if you're mine, right? Um, You can't stab me in the back cause I'm facing you… I don't think you can betray Konohagakure cause you're not a leaf-nin…If you'd unleash monster…then I'd unleash my own to stop you and knock some sense into you!"

Richochet smirked.

"Would you still consider me a _friend_ though?"

"Only if you consider me a friend, 'ttebayo!" Naruto grinned sheepishly, eyes closed and instantly Richochet could tell he definitely had the Kyuubi in him.

"I consider you to be the Kyuubi no Youko, the nine tailed demon fox."

His mouth dropped open and he stared at her. Another person knew? How? When? How could this girl from another world know about this? Was it another person to hate him, glare at him with spite?

"…Just as…" She looked away, holding her stomach

Naruto blinked at the action before slowly coming to a realization during her hesitation.

She… had… a demon… too…?

'**Say it. All demon hosts can trust one another.**'

"Just as I want you to consider me as the Raijuu no Rokubi, the six tailed weasel demon." She gave a polite bow. She'd only be polite to the demon holders, Neji, Hinata and Tenten. Maybe Shikamaru. And since Naruto held the strongest he was included too.

Anyone else could go screw themselves.

"SERIOUSLY?!" Without warning, he lifted her spaghetti strap top and lifted the bandages and stared in awe at the seal that appeared slowly. "It's really weird when it just appears…but it's exactly like mine!" He said excitedly. She was someone who could understand what it was like!

Richochet nodded, wondering why he sounded giddy with excitement. "Listen, I need to create some cracks in it… So Rokubi can let me use his power, like he promised. He's too lazy though."

Naruto's eyes shimmered before reddening instead of staying blue, pupils turning to animal like slits. "**HAHAHA!! ROKUBI ALWAYS WAS THE CALMEST ONE!!**"

Richochet narrowed her eyes as she eyed the way the whiskers on his cheek darkened and widened and lengthened, how the face became more elongated and how his teeth sharpened to the point they dragged over his pink bottom lip.

'**Tell her I said hello.**'

Richochet raised a brow. '…_Her? You mean He's actually a she? But she sounds like a guy… _Weird_…_'

'**All demons do. For all you know I could be a female.**'

Richochet stilled, mulling over the idea he proposed.

"Rokubi gives you his salutations, Kyuubi no Youko."

"**MMMM….**" He purred before running a hand down her one red whiskered cheek and then down her neck to touch the fur that sparked. Richochet wrenched back at the pain. "**I SEE! I, TOO, BASED ON YOUR ACTIONS, SHALL TRUST MY HOST MORE. AS MY COMRADE WHEN IN THE DEMON WARS, EVEN WHEN HOUKOU CAST THAT ILLUSION OVER YOU TO PIT YOU AGAINST ME, I WILL TRUST YOU ONCE MORE!!**"

Richochet smirked at the demon infested boy and nodded. "Thank you, Kyuubi no Youko. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Kyuubi looked at her more thoroughly. "**DO YOU TRUST UZUMAKI NARUTO?**"

Richochet blinked and nodded. "His…answer proves there is more to some people than meets the eyes. And for a person like me, who searches for worthiness, his honesty makes me want to be…" Richochet paused looking for the right words. "…Truly happy that there is still hope for humanity. I just hope I can be as worthy a comrade to him as Rokubi was to you."

Kyuubi narrowed her eyes before smirking. "**YOU SAY THAT AS IF YOU WERE DEMON YOURSELF.**"

Rokubi snagged her mind and she jolted before letting him in control. "**Kyuubi! It's great to finally speak to you again, my friend. I have already seen her whole future, as have you with your host. To be frank, she always questions humanity as if it were something ordinary – like us demons. If I had the chance, she would be a demon and I would claim her as my lifemate.**"

'_Say WHAT?_'

"**Hmmm…INTERESTING. SO I TAKE IT SHE HAS BEEN CHOSEN?**"

'_CHOSEN FOR WHAT?!_' Richochet pounded on his mentally strengthened will.

'**Hush, little pet. This is just to get us more trust and acceptance, even if what I speak is the truth.**'

"**Yes.**" Rokubi nodded with a smirk.

"**VERY WELL. COMMENCE THE LINK!**"

'_WHAT LINK?!_' Richochet and Naruto screamed in their brains and the two demons winced. Hearing of an advanced type wasn't always good.

"**Hush…**" He soothed her and took off the necklace with the key.

Naruto – Kyuubi - likewise took off the necklace Tsunade gave him and they touched them very lightly. Then they slit a small line of blood from their palms with their pinkie to the opposite hands – Richochet's right and Naruto's right – and shook hands.

Jolts of electric passed through Naruto, warming him, while flares of fire steamed through Richochet. Yet it didn't hurt. Much.

Okay, they were lying. Seeing as Fire was her weakness, apparently, Lightning was Naruto's.

The two parted slowly and gave a deep bow, right foot behind the left before raising slowly and giving each other smirks.

'**Wasn't so bad, was it?**'

'_Shut up weasel! What the hell have you done to me?! I can feel him! Without the use of my-'_

'_DATTEBAYOOO!!__'_

'_Oh, you're kidding me…_' Richochet sighed and added dryly. '_I like my mind with only one other person in it.' _

'_Aww…I like speaking to you like this…'_

'_Don't you speak to Kyuubi?'_

'_Not really…_'

Richochet stared at Naruto. "Huh…So…How do we switch this off?"

He shrugged, making her sigh.

"Thanks for the brains _genius._"

"HEY!"

She just smirked at him and gave a wink, making him blush.

"Oh? So _that's_ how I shut you up, huh?"

"You can NEVER shut ME up!"

There was a slight pause as Richochet snickered and Naruto went red.

'**Only the one with more power can…Or if you're at a good enough distance away… Or if you're focusing on someone else with complete attention.**' Rokubi shrugged.

'**TRUE.**'

'_Four people in one mind?! I can barely take one…_' She put a hand to her temple. '_Wait…_'

"Hey, Naruto… Do you know Jiraiya?"

"Eh?" He blinked and put his hand behind his head, cushioning them in mid air. "Sure, I know Ero-Sennin."

"Ero-Sennin?"

Rokubi seemed to lift his head. '**I sense another Sannin around. It's…Jiraiya. Richochet. Look for him so you can use my energy. It's time to up your training now.**' He smirked in her mind.

'_Don't I already use your energy though?_'

'**There are barely any cracks in the seal, in other words, there are no windows in this place.**' He said calmly, sending lightning waves through her. '**This is how much I can send now. I'd be able to send far more with it cracked more.**'

'_Hmm…If I had something to _judge_ it on then maybe I'll _know.' She replied sarcastically, annoyed. '_It's not like I go around _electrocuting_ myself or anything._'

Rokubi wasn't going to tell her he tried electrocuting her everytime he could when she didn't have as much control – A.K.A sleeping – so that she'd heal better. It helped a little since her body was still in the half stage between this world and the last worlds human body.

Ah well.

Let her think she was right.

Silly human.

'**Go and find him already.**' He spoke, bored.

'_I'll come with you dattebayo!_'

Muttering curses in her head and under her breath, she got up and slowly walked around, keeping a look out, Naruto on her tail.

'_How about we find out about each other?!_'

'_Fine. You start._'

'…_What's your favourite colour?_

'_Hmm…colours that are very whitish.' _

'_Like beige?'_

'_No, like very light colours that are white but you can tell they're green or purple or red or whatever. And electric lightning yellow like my necklace. Why?' _

Naruto looked up form the ever odd necklace of fur that had a chain attached to it with a heart at the end. '_I want to know you, 'ttebayo!'_

'_Uh, okay. You?' _

'_Um, I like dark blue and reddish orange.'_

Richochet smirked at him and looked at him clothes. _'I can tell._'

'_HEY!_'

'_What else do we ask?_'

Naruto looked at her. "I was… kinda hoping you would know…No one ever really asked me before…" Naruto looked at the ground, saddened.

"Me neither." Richochet shrugged, uncaring. "I never really had any friends." She saw him open his mouth. "Don't even think of Mizu being a friend because she's more of a rival - at least that's what she says." He gave her a weirded out look that she knew what he was going to say. "We can read each others mind."

Naruto pouted at her.

'**You can read each others memories and see everything the other saw when they were young.**'

They both stilled and looked at each other before smiling slightly and shaking their heads. "I think…we need to know about the 'now' Richochet and the 'now' Naruto first…" She said softly and Naruto nodded in agreement.

'_It's odd. If this was with Neji he would have scrambled into my memories straight off to find why I could use Gentle Fist._' Naruto snickered at her and she gave him a baleful look, and instead of him flinching he just smiled innocently. '_Why am I not acting like me? The sarcastic, uncaring non bothering me?_'

'**Demon's who did the comrade's blood exchange are, simply enough, nice to each other.**' Rokubi stated. '**Kyuubi and I were to do so before the Demon War, but it never happened due to events unspoken. So this is the next best thing.**'

'**HMM. YOU CANNOT LIE TO EACH OTHER AND WILL BE FAITHFUL COMRADES.**'

"Even if we want to betray?" Richochet questioned.

'**YES.**' Kyuubi replied simply. '**IT IS LIKE THE BOND OF LIFEMATES BUT NOT AS INTIMATE OR EXTREME AND INTENSE.**'

Naruto cocked his head to the side. '_Lifemates? You mean husband and wife right?_'

'**YES.**' Kyuubi spoke smugly. '**YOU BOTH HAVE CHOSEN YOUR LIFEMATES WITHOUT REALISING IT.**'

Richochet choked on her own spit while Naruto's eyes bulged out.

"WHAAAAAAT?!"

'**YOUR CHOSEN IS NEARLY ALWAYS IN YOUR SIGHT AND HAS NEARLY DIED FOR YOU. THAT IS WHAT THE FEMALE DEMON DOES.**'

While Naruto tried to think back to it was, Rokubi spoke to Richochet.

'**You, Richochet, done something like that, except it came in three stages because blood wasn't used and I am male. Though it will be later on. The heart fondly touched, the key trustingly situated and warmth willingly felt. Naruto will have these three for her soon enough. Then both processes will be complete. It takes a good year or so anyway.**'

Naruto and Richochet looked at each other in disbelief.

Then she sighed and walked around the corner, Naruto matching her step for step. "Let's just find Jiraiya."

"Sure, 'ttebayo."

This man was supposed to be a Sannin. An awesome ninja with great stealth skills and countless number of jutsu and-

"Hehehe…."

Richochet blinked at the laugh, stilling once again. "What the…?"

Naruto sweatdropped, knowing that girlish giggle well.

"Ehehehehehehehe…"

She sweatdropped at the laugh. "Crazy idiot." She turned the corner and saw a large man with long white hair staring at the fence, crouched down and shuddering in laughter.

'**That…would be-' **

'_-Jiraiya, 'ttebayo! That pervert!_'

'_You've gotta be kidding me._'

Richochet's eye twitched as she looked at the sign above him.

'_Konoha Women's Hot Springs!_'

'_He really is a perv?_' She gave an amused smirk. She didn't care much for modesty, but she'd be willing to bet the women on the other side would be. How about she help him out before they notice-

"AIIIIEEEE!! PERVERRRRRT!!"

She sighed as a flock of women came out wrapped in towels, angry red veins pronounced upon their brows. '_I bet he's loving this.'_

'_He's a super pervert!_'

She snickered as his left nostril started to bleed violently.

'_See?! See?!_'

He snagged a tissue up the said nose.

'_Watch this._'

Then came the slaps.

Well, they would, if Richochet hadn't walked up.

"Ladies!" She called out and they turned to her, watching her and the old man looked at her pleading for help. "That would be my _little brother_ pulling a cruel _practical joke_ on you. He's just putting an _illusion_ on you." She emphasized some words to him and he caught them.

He did the simple Henge no jutsu on himself and ran out to hug her as a seven year old boy about four foot two high with the same black hair and laughing orange eyes. He was dressed in a baggy grey shirt and black shorts and was gripping her hand and looking up at her with gratefulness in his eyes.

The women sighed and gave annoyed looks to the kids, not knowing they were duped. "Listen girl, you should look after your brother better! What would your mother say?"

"My mother is dead."

They went deathly silent at her glare. She turned away, a smirk on her face as she did so and walked away, leading the 'little boy' away and around the corner.

Richochet stopped and looked back, checking for noise, vibration from the floor and chakra coming their way. She gave a sigh, now knowing they weren't coming. "Well, looks like they weren't suspicious."

A poof of sulphur and the large male was back in front of her, long spiky white hair, red outer coat and all. He gave her a goofy smile. "Thanks for that Jou-chan! I needed that info for my books." He scratched his cheek with his index finger, laughing nervously. His eyes caught that of Naruto, still having his hands behind his head. "Eh, Naruto?"

"I don't care if you're a pervert. I just need you to do something for me that, _apparently,_" Richochet rolled her eyes at Rokubi who huffed in her mind, "Only you can do."

A lusty smile came over his face.

Naruto sweatdropped again. "Ero-senniiiiin…" He shook his head.

"No, you perv!" She crossed her arms. "If I need that I would have asked straight off!"

"…Really?" Jiraiya blinked at her speculatively. "Aren't you a bit young?"

"_That's_ not the point." Richochet pointed out and put a hand to her hip. "I need you to do for me what you did to Naruto."

Jiraiya laughed. "Listen Jou-chan, I can't teach you Rasengan!"

"EH?! Chet-chan wants to know the RASENGAN?!"

"No, I-"

"I could teach you it, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered, fists in the air.

"While that's just super, I need Jiraiya to-"

The white haired sannin shrugged. "Sorry, I won't teach the Rasengan to you."

"But I will, 'ttebayo!"

"Naruto?! You will?"

"Sure I'll teach her, Ero-sennin!"

"**NO!**" She yelled, fists clenched. The two males jumped, looking equally wary and shocked at the angered female. Richochet let her head drop as she sighed, crossing her arms, holding herself back. She usually was laid back, but sometimes, around block headed idiots, she could have a temper. "I need Jiraiya to do the same thing he did to the seal on Naruto's stomach. And I need him to keep this whole situation - affects and effects included - a secret."

Richochet raised her spaghetti black top to show off the seal to him. His eyes widened and then narrowed again, his whole face taking a serious tone.

"Rokubi said you were the one to go to." She finished softly.

"Six tails? That's a powerful demon you have there. Not as much as Kyuubi, but he has different, and great, strengths." Jiraiya remarked. "Still, I owe you." He said wryly, and looked around the fenced back alley they were in, next to the Hot Springs. "Not here. The woods are more quiet and secretive."

"Just do it now." Richochet yawned and lifted the top up more. There were no Anbu for some reason and no one was around with enough experience of seals to know what was going on, so it was the perfect time. She clenched her stomach, awaiting some form of pain from him. "Before I change _my mind_." She said mockingly to him, making him narrow his eyes at her in a half glare.

His fingers lit up with different kanji and he took a stance to maintain his balance. "…Gogyo Kaiin!!" Jiraiya slammed his five glowing fingers into her stomach.

"Oomph..." She moaned lightly. '_That…kinda takes your breath away._' Immediately she felt as if her stomach was more… yielding than before. That strings that tugged the top half to the bottom half had been loosened immensely.

Then the 'whoosh' of red chakra surrounded her before plunging back into her again.

Softly.

Soothingly.

Sensitively.

'_It does, dattebayo, doesn't it? I didn't think it hurt, but it wasn't exactly comfortable too._' Naruto jogged over and helped her sit up. Then he blinked as if surprised he was over here. '_That's weird…_'

'**It's our link. We have to help each other. No matter what we want. Whether we like it or not. Right Kyuubi?**'

'**CORRECT.**' She replied informatively. '**WE ARE ALLIES TO THE END AND BEYOND AND OUR SOULS ARE TIED BY FRIENDSHIP IN EACH LIFE BECAUSE OF THE DEMONIC ENERGY. YOU TWO WILL ALWAYS HAVE EACH OTHER AND NOT BE ALONE.**'

Richochet and Naruto looked at each other, surprised but feeling good about it, startlingly. "Guess we're stuck with each other for now and forever?" Richochet smirked at him.

Naruto grinned back. "I s'ppose I can put up with you and your ego."

Her smirk became a little softer. "_Well,_ you can _try._"

"Ah, the start of a beautiful relationship!" Jiraiya cooed at them, thinking it the wrong way.

"SHUT UP!!" They yelled back, glaring at him. Well, Richochet crossed her arms and glared but Naruto did a frowning pout and looked away after a couple minutes, putting his arms behind his head again, standing up properly.

"Idiot." She mumbled and got up next to Naruto. "I'm suddenly really hungry…"

"RAMEN!!" He grabbed her wrist and tugged her away with him without being able to get a word in edgewise.

She looked back at Jiraiya before they turned the corner and yelled. "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ANYONE – AND I DON'T MEAN PEOPLE CALLED ANYONE BUT THEY'RE INCLUDED – WHAT YOU KNOW OF THIS MATTER UNLESS I GIVE THE O-KAY, OKAY?!"

He just laughed and waved.

The white haired man would keep it a secret.

For now.

Anyway.

He was kinda scared by her.

"Arrogant but remarkable, creepy eyed kid." Jiraiya muttered as he stared off at the corner. "Wonder what the Rokubi will do to her life like Kyuubi to Naruto? What _has_ it done?"

* * *

"You just ate…" Richochet stared at the eight bowls of ramen and looked at her one of duck ramen. And yes, _she had_ taken out the carrots and put them in Naruto's bowl much to his delight of things orange. "…eight bowls…" 

He just grinned at her before stuffing his face again.

"And you want…_more?_"

"YEP!"

Snorting Richochet spoke up with sarcasm in it. "You know, I'm starting to wonder if that stomach is an _endless hole…_" She shook her head as he shrugged, unsure himself. "Amazing…. Simply. Amazing."

"I am, aren't I." Naruto stated happily, slurping the broth before wiping his mouth on the back of his hands. "And one day I'll be THE HOKAGE OF KONOHAGAKURE!"

"_Good_ for _you._" She rolled her eyes with a small smirk on her own mouth, unable to help it. His happiness was contagious, annoyingly enough but she couldn't put herself to mock him seriously.

It just seemed… really… horrible… or something.

She wasn't feeling too eloquent right now, especially after seeing this boy stuff himself like one does a turkey in 'Thanksgiving' like they did in America, either.

"ANOTHER MISO RAMEN! Please?" He added sheepishly at Ayame-nee's raised eyebrow.

Scoffing, Richochet stood up and, using some of Neji's money he had given her after paying for the miso ramen she had a while back with Shikamaru and Neji, she put the money down and grabbed Naruto's collar hefting him up.

"C'mon you gluttonous fox." She griped at him as he started reaching for Ayame as if she would help. The waitress just giggled in amusement at them.

"No I want more, meanie weasel! Ayame, I must have more of the beautiful tasting food that is RAMEN!"

"Ramen definitely _is_ beautiful tasting!" Someone agreed as Naruto forked out his frog purse.

Richochet turned around to stare at the newcomers as Naruto paid, weeping.

Some blonde in a purple top and skirt with bandages nearly all over, but fashionably and practical watched the duo in the ramen stand. Another, larger boy with swirls on his face and brown hair green jacket white top with eat of it in kanji and the normal seemingly compulsory black slacks on then there was Shikamaru and Sakura and...

Her eyebrow twitched.

Mizu.

"Eh? Shikamaru?" Richochet blinked, not bothering with any honorifics, much to the annoyance of some females. "How's it going?"

"Too troublesome…" He sighed, bored.

She shrugged. "As always."

"Richocheeeeet!! I learnt so many new things!" Mizu cried out, glomping the demon infested girl.

'**This one is truly irritating.**' Rokubi thought as Kyuubi nodded in their shared link with Naruto.

'_You don't like her? She's really happy though!_'

'_She's good at everything…_' Richochet grumbled in her mind, feeling jealous, glaring off intently to the side as Mizu squeezed tight. '_I'm sure there's nothing I'm better then her at now she's learning to be a ninja._'

'_Yeah… Sasuke's the same way…_' Naruto moaned back. '_BUT we'll be SO much better! AND SOON!_'

'_Of course.' _

'**It's only natural you will be.**'

'**YOU HAVE US DEMONS ON YOUR SIDE.**'

Naruto and Richochet shared a secretive grin before looking away again.

They both guessed it wasn't so bad if you had someone to share things with.

"So, you're this Seishou, huh?" Ino said, testing her.

"As I've been told." Richochet replied blandly. The purple clothed girl was none too much to the liking of Richochet. "If not then I know a hella lotta chronic liars."

The blonde cocked her head to the side, wondering if she should take that personally and decided with that odd little crooked smile the girl had on her she had to off meant it like that.

But Richochet always was like that; she just didn't know it yet.

Ino sneered at her and Richochet raised a brow.

'**You pissed another one off again.**'

'_Too easy._' Richochet mentally snickered and she looked at the others, the big boned guy and the pineapple haired one, then pinkie and water-girl.

Her hands twitched as she looked at all of them, hating being around so many of her own age not knowing what to do.

She needed an out.

She needed to go.

She needed an escape.

She needed a diversion.

She needed-

"Seishou. Richochet." Came an angered voice.

- Neji?

Richochet looked at the blazing eyes of Neji and felt a smirk touch her lips.

"We're going." He grabbed her forearm, wrenched the Chikoto girl off of her, and tugged her away forcefully, leading her back to the main house. "I think we need to set some rules."

Richochet rolled her eyes and smirked back to Naruto, raising a hand in goodbye to all.

She smirked and said loudly so the other civilians around could hear. "_Brilliant. _I'll tell you what you can and can't do then, shall I?"

Neji just gritted his teeth and walked on determinedly, tugging harder on the arm he grabbed as he sped up.

* * *

_Not too bad. Not too bad. I also enjoyed writing this too. I wanted Richochet to form a bond with one of the characters and all but Neji, Shikamaru, Naruto and Haku seem to antagonize me somehow. Ah well. I felt there was a little too much between just Richochet and Neji too, so I thought why not throw in another person to take her attentions away from training and the Hyuuga's?_

_By the way chapter ten _is _written up. I'm, just going to wait for some reviews. Yep, five reviews and I'll update. Fair? Well, think of it this way - at least it's not ten._

_Hope to update soon!_

_I'll hopefully put more Shikamaru in too, if I can somehow just sliiiiiide it in since people have spoken of it._

_Ta-ta!

* * *

_

**R.

* * *

**


	10. Chapter X

Hola, people, such a nice warmish day in England today...

Which is rather odd actually.

_My love is going to..._

_Hibiki-chan - Desert Mortician - Mair9512 - Moogle In Paradaisu - Zero Asakura - Foxg2rl7 - Kiwi-chan - Firerose13 - Ugly.Beautiful (It'd be great to see that picture of Neji confused and blushing in your head!)_

_Uwee hee! I love you guys!_

_On with the fic!_

By the way, you'll eventually find out who is Naru's lifemate. It may be Hinata as some of you have PM/Reviewed me but heck, in a certain chapter later on, you'll find out some certain information... And I'm not giving anything away!

**Read on!

* * *

**

**Chapter Ten**

**

* * *

**

"Neeeeji…" Richochet said in a sing song voice, enjoying this immensely.

The Hyuuga clenched a fist

"…Your brow is twiiiiit-ching…"

He gritted his teeth.

"It's now twitching a lo-ooot…."

BOP!

"…Ow." Richochet rubbed her head, rethinking her uncharacteristic teasing.

Neji was not a happy bunny.

And to him, she was not being very nice.

Which was nice for her.

"Jeeze…What's up with you?"

"_You._" He said tightly, leaning against the wall as he then crossed his arms over his chest to stop him from repeating his act of violence. "Were supposed to be scouting. No, better, in fact, is the fact you had to be in bed, because you are ill."

"Do I look ill to you?" Richochet copied his stance, smirking at him mockingly and then closed her eyes, looking away. "Or do you want me in bed so you can try for another kiss?"

If she had looked she would have noted the mad blush across his cheeks.

"Tch." He denied, controlling himself from heating up at the thought of it. He couldn't help he was warming up to her while she still seemed as uncaring as usual. It drove a guy crazy. It really did. "I'm your teacher – it's unethical for this type of conduct. You will do as I say. You are my responsibility. Fate brought you to me."

"So because of fate, I have to do what you say?"

"Yes."

"Well, fate brought _you_ to _me_, so you have to do as _I_ say too."

Neji twitched.

Damn.

For a moment, he had forgotten that she had a pretty good wit about her.

Sometimes.

"And anyway…_unethical_ you say?" A small smirk creeped up her lips as she cracked an eyelid open. "You realize I have an aversion to what society pertains of…right? I like doing things against the unspoken code of people. So, what happens if I somehow start to think you're suddenly extremely attractive to me and I want to date you?"

"Nothing." He said, trying to get the strain out of his voice and succeeding.

Somewhat.

Richochet opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Why?"

"I won't allow it."

Her lava and red pupil-ed almond eyes darkened in thought, that smirk still flitting along her lips. "Then I guess a new game will have to start… _Neji_…"

His opal, slightly very light lavender eyes widened in shock before narrowing in suspicious tones. "What do you think you're pulling?"

She smirked. "Do you want me to pull…" her eyes narrowed down to his crotch before going up to his. "…Something, Neji?" Her voice was almost a purr, something she had seen back in the days when she had done that arena killing.

Those women who flocked to the rich ones did stuff like this – and the men were more than happy to accept it, too. Their voices dropped an octave, they gave those under the eyelashes looks and that funny little smile.

He stilled. '_This… is not a game I want to play. In fact, I don't want to play it for a couple years._'

Then she chuckled, somewhat mockingly, somewhat real. "I guess you'd rather play a game that you're in control of, right? Ah, but not right now, I'm feelin somewhat woozy."

"Woozy?" Neji sighed through his nose and rubbed his eyes. "You…wear me out more than Gai-sensei and Rock Lee can." Then he smirked and looked up at her. "But don't think I'll give up because of that. I'm your teacher. Now we're going to go teach you more in the Nin arts."

He strode out of the room and Richochet watched, curious. Usually, he was more snappy with her, more agitated. Then again, that was with people around them. Though it was pretty much the same when they were on their own.

Now, however, he seemed more… comfortable around her?

Relaxed with her presence?

Peaceful when there was quiet between them?

Neji was _used_ to her now.

Richochet was suddenly troubled at that.

She was used to people tiptoeing around her, as if walking on eggshells. When they did, she knew she was in control, she was on a different level with them – it was what was normal to her and she _liked_ it like that. It made her feel as if no one could grab out and touch her, giving her a feeling of being invulnerable.

She frowned and walked out the corridor after him. Her eyes immediately lit on his back that was still, so he wasn't moving. When he heard her, he started moving again.

The Hyuuga had waited for her.

Now, here was this person as arrogant and prideful as her but as different as night and day to her - and the same for Naruto and Hinata minus the pride - who was calm around her.

And with doing so, they put her on the same level as them.

They had let her tease them.

They had let her be her arrogant self and accepted it.

They had let her do as she wanted because they wanted to know of her…

Which made her feel entirely vulnerable inside. Something she hadn't really encountered before. It - to put it bluntly - freaked her out. The notion of friends and caring was… alien to her.

And before she hadn't minded not having it.

You can't miss what you never had.

It didn't _work _any other way.

She blinked as light form the sun blinded her. She hadn't realized she was outside. The chill of December got to her quickly, but she pushed that feeling away. Hey, at least it wasn't snowing; apparently they were too near the equator for that to happen or something. "So…"

"Hand gestures. Now." He demanded, crossing his arms and looking at her impatiently.

Richochet gave a half innocent smirk. "Don't you mean _animal weaves_?"

Neji twitched, and glowered at her darkly, getting more than annoyed now. This girl had way too much time on her hands if she could still piss him off in different ways. "You called them hand gestures. I'm saying so you'd get it quicker."

She shrugged. "Whatever." Doing the signs, she did the seven she knew slowly at first to make sure she had it right. Seeing Neji watching, she did them a little quicker each time. It wasn't too hard, but it felt so damn weird to do them. Plus there was all these little things to remember too otherwise the jutsu wouldn't work.

His critical stare narrowed and he nodded. "Stop. It's adequate."

She huffed in indignation, but knew he meant it was better than expected.

How?

She'd have said the same but said it sarcastically.

"These are the other five…"

So, for the next twenty minutes, they had gone over the next five 'hand gestures' – which Richochet snickered at each time Neji said it, getting a light glare from the Hyuuga – and Neji had shown ways to get to the next sign quickly, such moving the hand around the middle of the palm instead of all the way around the hand and such which she actually wouldn't have thought off.

The hand gestures were just annoying beyond comparison now. It'd take a while for it to be natural that she moved them into the correct positions, but she was up for the challenge.

And now she was learning some plain jutsu's. Henge and the sort.

But no one told her focusing her immense chakra would be that hard. It seemed her chakra was as lazy as Rokubi. It came to the surface, but it wa like trying to catch a bubbly and wet piece of soap that just doesn't want to stay in your hands and slides away.

It was pissing her off more than those damn animal weaves.

And it didn't help Rokubi was laughing at her too.

Tch.

Bastard of a demon.

Hinata arrived again, placing the tray she held down. Richochet noted she even had a lemon Popsicle in a wrapper and grinned inside, her eyes lighting up in glee. There was also tea and two bowls of rice, but the lemon Popsicle is what she wanted most of all.

'_I have to concentrate. Not on my obsession for lemon popsicles either._' She heard Rokubi snicker and then quiet down. '_I'm NOT asking the Hyuuga for help!_'

'_NANI?! CHEEEET-CHAN?! YOU LOVE LEMON POPSICLES?!_'

Richochet put her hands to her forehead trying to block the loudness out. '_I forgot I could speak to you…_'

'_Well, I'll help you, 'ttebayo! First you gotta think, I wanna do this technique, so swirl around chakra, let's rock!! Then you think okay now go into my hands to activate the signs so I can do jutsu! It's like that soap you were thinking off, but turn that soap into a waterfall!_'

Neji blinked at her, wondering why she stopped doing the hand signs for the easy replication technique.

'_Huh?_'

'_I'll come over to the Hyuuga courtyard! Yeah, dattebayo! I will!_'

Richochet just blinked and then a small smirk settled on her lips. She did as Naruto suggested and then did the replication jutsu. "Bunshin no jutsu." She saw a poof and suddenly as exact replica stood next to her, a little ill looking but reasonably okay. Her eyes closed half way before tightening shut.

Her heart thudded, blood raced through her veins, pounding through her body as she started to sweat slightly. Saliva vanished, making her mouth dry, and she had to gulp just to breathe again.

Rokubi's hard voice entered her mind, thundering as per usual. '**It's not Shoko. This is you.**'

'_Yeah…you're right._'

'**OF COURSE HE IS!**'

Richochet smirked at the Hyuuga. "Seems like fuzzy head Naruto is a better teacher than you."

"_What?_" His voice was cold, dark. His muscles stiffened and his body went completely rigid. Eyes darkened and the slight lavender you could barely see when he was calm leaked out and become sinisterly darker.

'_He looks entirely pissed off_.' The student thought idly in a kind of 'huh' voice, watching in interest as if he were a sideshow animal at a zoo, about to burst and rip everything to shreds.

Heck, she wouldn't doubt he could and would.

"There is no way he is better than me at teaching." He gritted out through his teeth, fist clenched.

"I'M HERE, DATTEBAYO!"

Neji twitched. When he had found her yesterday, she had been dragged along by this orange clad idiot and it made him twitch again thinking her alone in the company of the fool. Then they had gone to _Naruto's_ favourite restaurant and eaten ramen.

Together.

_Neji_ was her teacher!

How the hell did she know Naruto anyway?!

It wasn't right! Did fate like to piss him off eternally or something?!

And now she was saying Naruto – of all people, NARUTO – was a better teacher than him?!

He clenched his fist harder.

The urge to destroy something was really strong, and it didn't help Naruto was here either.

As the blonde landed between them, Neji punched him hard on the head and stomped off, pissed off for no reason.

"ITAAAIIII!" Naruto yelped loudly as he fell to the ground, rolling around in pain before he gave a confused look to Richochet. "What did I dooooo?"

Richochet sighed and shrugged, stretching out a hand, not really giving a damn he was in pain, but figured it was the right thing to do as they were comrades and such. "He's a weird one."

Naruto grabbed her hand and tugged himself up with her help. "You said you needed help, so I came 'ttebayo!" He gave a huge grin that made her smirk back.

"It's probably because I said you were a better teacher than him."

"I am?!" Naruto jumped on the spot in contained excitement.

She shrugged again. "Well, you say it in your way…which is really, REALLY easy to understand…And it helped me…so now he's pissed…"

Naruto hugged her in joy. "YATTA! I'M A BETTER TEACHER! I'M A BETTER TEACHER! HAHA YOU SUCK NEJI! I'M A BETTER TEACHER! I'M A BETTER TEACH - GAH!!"

A cup flew and smacked the blonde idiot in the head, leaving him dazed and swirly eyed and on the ground.

Richochet sighed, wondering how many times she'd have to pick him up off the ground this day. She looked up at the vein throbbing temple of Hyuuga Neji as he glared at the boy on the ground.

Rolling her eyes she pulled him up from the ground and patted his jumpsuit out a bit.

"Hehehe…"

Richochet paused noticing what she was doing, somewhat confused as to when she started. "Uh…"

"You're like a big sister, Chet-nee!" Naruto gave a huge grin to her happily. "Yeah! You're my new sister!"

Richochet gulped quietly.

'**Forget about the past pains, Richochet.**' Rokubi soothed her with some bolts of electric and it calmed her down nicely. '**This is the here and now. Shoko is gone from the realm of the living. She took her own life, not you taking her life.**'

'_Fine. It's just…hard…_'

Naruto listened cocking his head at her and then, smacking both his hands on hers shoulders, he got her looking at him eye to eye. They were the same height. "I won't leave you! I'm… not Shoko, okay?"

"You don't even know Shoko…" Richochet mumbled, falling into his chest and resting her head on his right shoulder. "…You don't even know what happened."

"No…but I want to." The blonde said in a moment of glumness, hugging her. Then he let go and she pushed back. "One day?"

She really didn't want to speak to anyone about it.

'**You should, pet.**' Rokubi advised. '**He won't hurt you for it.**'

"…Sure…" Richochet said half-heartedly. "This is too angsty for me. My past isn't the greatest… but anywho…" She chuckled, "…Let's train, little bro!"

"YEAH!"

* * *

Inside Hinata watched Neji furiously pacing up and down her room. It had been an hour at least. And she was getting dizzy.

She had noticed that Neji, her cousin, the 'great-unaffected-always-calm-and-cool' Neji who let nothing tip him over the edge was starting to act very… odd nowadays.

Very odd indeed.

It was like he was a 'cool' dormant volcano and something had just awoken his more 'hot' side.

Hinata hid a smile.

Richochet was working wonders on him, even if she didn't realize it.

He was opening up quite a bit. It reminded her of when they were really young and Neji used to adore her and always help her and care for her. It was strange seeing him like this. It wasn't as though he was the nice, kind little boy she remembered. He was now more competitive, more witty and willing to join in on things with her. With Richochet.

Heck, Hinata had seen him throw the cup out of her window. It was amazing it hadn't broken when hitting Naruto's head. She blushed violently at the thought of her major crush on the boy. How could she tell him? It was embarrassing! And what if he didn't like her back? She would have been gutted and depressed and would lack in her training more.

She sighed quietly.

This love thing was hard.

"He might have beaten me in a fight…but better than me as a teacher?! The fool is an IDIOT!" He clenched his fists angrily, Byakugan on as he continually watched the two outside, somehow absolutely unable to see the odd charkra in his student do to his raging emotions. "How can she consider him a better teacher then _me?! I'm_ the Hyuuga GENIUS!_"_

Hinata blinked. Neji sounded… jealous. Really jealous to the point of looking murderous. Hinata moved back, trying to get out of the way of his ire and anger.

"N-Neji-nii, I-I think y-you should c-calm down…I-Is it really that bad?" Hinata said lightly, stuttering as he turned to her.

"YES." He hissed.

Hinata flinched and started stuttering even more. "W-Well b-be a-a b-better-ter t-t-teacher th-than h-him."

Neji looked away from her, knowing he shouldn't take him anger out on her and speaking bad about the boy that everyone – and that means _everyone _– knew she liked. He couldn't help that he felt so angry. He just was. And he couldn't explain _why_ either. "Hmph."

Neji looked out, watching as Richochet grabbed the Lemon Popsicle blissfully and started devouring it, making him twitch, taking note of the darkened sky. He looked to the clock. Seven thirty.

In an hour half an hour they'd have to go to the monthly Hyuuga family dinner.

Hoo boy.

Hinata stood up. "I-I'll go inform R-Richochet of the dinner. S-She won't b-be able t-to come but…" Hinata trailed off and left her room, wondering if she should let him stay and chance him smashing everything.

"Hmm…" He nodded and left before he became more uncharacteristic.

* * *

Naruto nodded at her impressed.

She had successfully done the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and next to her stood two blood and bone copies looking vaguely bored. It felt like she was actually in each of them while knowing she was fully real. Despite the fact she was sweating like crazy and on the ground breathing deeply, she felt pretty damn good.

Naruto had a lot more stamina than she did at the moment, but hell if she didn't catch up soon enough. Not only had she done Kage bunshin, she did the bunshin and Henge and substitution, Kawarimi, and god knows what else this boy was trying to teach her.

Heck, he even said she should try climbing trees without using her _hands_!

What drugs was he on?

"You know, you ain't too bad, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned at Richochet.

"Rokubi is helping me control them and keeping them there." She admitted and slowly stood up, but then fell to the ground again. "Shite. I didn't know you needed that much concentration. Sucks that I have my head in the clouds loads."

Naruto laughed happily. "Just think of wanting to be in loads of places at the same time! That what I do!"

"Cool." Richochet replied absently, noting that her bloodline limit was flaring up and down during her practice.

'**That's because you're now using chakra a lot more. This doesn't go away, it stays permanently.**' Rokubi said sleepily. '**It doesn't hurt you, so there's no problem. And you know if anyone's sneaking up on you at all times.**'

Richochet turned her head to stare at the Hyuuga complex, she could feel tens of people moving around and if she focused, the heat waves became hundreds of smaller heat rays.

In fact, she could even identify one set of heat rays as Neji. Who was actually coming over in their direction. She blinked and saw the door to the complex open and Neji striding over. He was rather tall, about 158cm to her 147.5cm or something, which made her blink again, wondering why she noted that.

Her bunshins poofed away with her mental command and she was jerked up by a pale hand. Neji's narrow-eyed stare hit her as she looked up at him, staring into clear eyes. She had to lean against him to stay standing up, so it looked like they were in an uncomfortable hug.

"If you wanted a hug you coulda asked when I was not smelly and sweaty, you know?" Richochet said sarcastically, unsure what else to do in this situation when she didn't start it.

He grimaced but went back to his glare, doubling when it landed on Naruto. "Go."

The blonde shrugged. "Okay! She's a good learner so teach her loads Neji-senseeeeeei!" He laughed as he jumped away over the roof, fuelled by chakra.

"I guess I'll be doing that soon…" She murmured

"Running away like an idiot?" Neji grouched, mocking her.

"Tch. That's more _your_ fort, I believe."

"And if my fort is running away your fort would be idiocy then?"

Richochet smirked. "Heh." She looked up at the dusky sky. "I guess… it's not so bad… This friendship thing…"

Neji stared at her before striding to the home again. He paused, making sure she got that he was waiting for her, and went again as she followed slowly.

"Hey…When are you going to teach me Gentle Fist?"

His clear eyes peered back at her, calculating. "Tomorrow." He said shortly, before disappearing inside.

'**I think that kiss made him all weird.**' Rokubi's voice gave off the air of a smirk. '**You know, maybe if you gave him **_**another one**_** he'd act like normal?**'

Richochet grimaced. '_I don't know if I prefer the cold Neji that whacks me on the head or the Neji that seems to not know what to do with me making me smug. It's annoying when he hits me, but it's weirder when he is all off balance and non Neji like._'

'…_YOU KISSED NEJI??!_'

Richochet twitched. '_Just so I could trick him and get outta the place!_'

'_I…BET YOU _ENJOYED_ IT!!_'

'_I'm going to find you – and castrate you._'

'_ACK! NOOO!! Wait…what's castrate?_'

The lava eye girl sighed. '_Fine – when I find you, I'll _cut_ you limb from limb._'

She felt Naruto's freak out inside her mind and smirk in satisfaction, walking languidly to the door. '_I love freaking people out. So easy and enjoyable._'

'_YOU'RE EVIL!!_'

'_You think I _don't_ know that? What's your point?_'

The reply she got was a whimper. '_MEANIE!!_

'_So?'_'

"Richochet!!"

The other worldly girl stiffened as she heard the voice of her unwanted world-traveling companion before she entered the doors to her freedom also know as the Hyuuga household. "What is it, Chikoto?"

"Here!" Mizu said as the pseudo-rival turned to her in questioning.

A small rectangular device was thrown at her and Richochet caught it easily. It was silver and had a screen near the top and Richochet saw a smaller circle below it with different arrows and squares on it. There were a set of headphones wrapped around it neatly, white in colour.

"It's an I-pod." She grinned, eyes bright and happy and so attracting it made the girl want to puke. "It's solar powered too."

"What… is an I-pod?"

"Oh come on! Everyone knows what it is…from our world at least…A music listening device! This one was my dad's it has all his favourite _American_ and _English_ bands as well as _Japanese_ on there. Oh and some European too." She shrugged in boredom. "I don't know what to do with it, so I thought you might appreciate some home technology."

"Huh." Richochet murmured, barely acknowledging the fact Mizu waved bye. She took off the headphones, fiddled with it for a second, and finally found that pressing the button at the top thing for a few seconds turned it on. It was amazing she even found that out – she was so technology deprived it was astonishing.

Putting in the headphones, they kind of didn't fit and she looked at them in confusion. Oh, wait, there's an R headphone in her left ear. She rubbed her nose in self-embarrassment before switching them over. She moved her finger up and down on the circle and went on to random playing or something like that.

'**Goo Goo dolls! Oh put Goo Goo Dolls 'Iris' on!!**' Rokubi whimpered at her. '**It's our favourite song!**'

'_Buzz off weasel! Like I know how to work this -_'

Iris suddenly came through the headphones.

'_I'm…pretty lucky sometimes._' She thought as she walked inside slowly.

'**Aa.**'

Hinata got out of her room and Richochet's eyes widened. "Whoa…"

Hinata looked…_stunning_.

It was a simple kimono, but the material used must have cost big bucks. It was shimmering silver like her eyes that flowed down like a waterfall with a lavender sash and a luxurious bow at the back. Decorative embroidered ribbon whirls over the whole piece made it somewhat more feminine an delicate, just like Hinata. Simple but effective to inspire knowledge of how truly beautiful she really was.

"You…look…divine." Richochet managed to get out, unsure what else to say. She wasn't too able to give out compliments when she truly meant them.

"T-Thank you, Richochet-san."

"No problem, I s'ppose." She shrugged at that, not really caring. Catching a blur, she looked over at her room to see Neji moving out of that place and she raised a brow. "What the…? Hey! HEY!" The teen scowled as he looked back at her. "_What_ were_ you_ doing in _my_ room?"

"Hn. Just stay inside while Hinata and I go to the monthly family dinner." Neji said stoically, ignoring her question.

Richochet felt a vein throb in her forehead. "Like _hell_ I'm gonna do what you say." He smirked and nodded at Hinata. "Have a good meal." She added on sarcastically.

Hinata waved shyly and the other worldly girl nodded back, saluting with two fingers.

They disappeared and Richochet smirked smugly.

Time to dig up some blackmail on Neji.

Her eyes lit up as they touched on his room.

"Heh heh."

The chuckle was entirely, cunningly, evil.

"Thinks he can do whatever in MY room? He's got another thing coming, that's for sure."

* * *

A sigh was heard and Naruto turned around from his ramen – sixth bowl by the way - to face Konoha's laziest, pineapple hair shaped shinobi. "HEY SHIKAMARU!"

"So loud…" He complained and slumped in the chair next to his comrade. "So troublesome…"

Naruto just grinned, happy someone joined him for dinner. "Guess what?!"

Shikamaru gave another sigh, looking at him in mild annoyance and slight interest. "…What is it?"

"Chet-chan said I was a better teacher than Neji!"

Shikamaru blinked at him. "…Yeah? So?" Though, inside his mind was working fast. '_A better teacher than Neji? Naruto? That Naruto in front of me grinning like a maniac? HIM? Miracles do happen…_'

"WHATCHA MEAN SO?!"

Shikamaru just yawned. "How'd you know her anyway?"

Naruto opened his mouth, but closed it. '_I can't tell him about us having demons in us! UH UH UH! KYUUBI!_'

'**TELL HIM YOU HELPED BRING HER BACK TO KONOHA.**'

"I know her cause I helped bring her back when we came from Tea country and Gai's team from their mission!" He sweatdropped nervously. It wasn't a lie… just a different truth that fit nicely.

"Huh…" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at his anxiety. '_Oh, really…_' He thought suspiciously but hid it. "So they've been here for a few weeks now. Over a month, I believe. Are they strong enough to catch up would you say?"

"Eh, you're interested, Shikamaru?!" Naruto took a huge gulp of ramen and swallowed without chewing, staring at him with large, curious eyes.

"I'm bored." He corrected with a shrug. "And the girls are the topic of choice among the rookie nine. They had Anbu following for the first couple weeks. Then Tsunade-sama ordered them to stop for two weeks and a half and they're getting back on today."

Naruto frowned in confusion, somewhat relieved Tsunade-baa-chan didn't know what happened with Jiraiya earlier. "Why the break, 'ttebayo? I don't get it."

"To see if they would do wrong and if they noticed."

"Oh…But Richochet didn't – she was too busy being sick." Naruto snickered and gulped more ramen down into that endless pit. "Ah… Ramen…How I love thee…"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, wondering why he was friends with this idiot before shoving the thought away. "I don't trust those girls. Especially Seishou Richochet. She's too much like me to trust."

"Too much like you?"

"Yeah. Hiding thoughts behind a façade…."

Naruto looked down at his ramen. There were a few noodles left in the warm brown chicken broth and he stirred them around slowly. Not a lot of people did like Richochet.

Sakura didn't like the way she treated Chikoto Mizu and Ino, as her best friend and rival, simply agreed with her. Shikamaru, despite having bought her food, didn't trust her all. Lee didn't like her attitude either, though said he would be polite and nice to her if she was nice to him. Kakashi and Sasuke didn't seem to care much of them either. Though Sasuke was unconscious from the Tea mission still, so 'oh well' to that.

At least, he, Hinata, Neji – maybe – and Tenten did.

Who knew what the sensei's and other Jounin thought of her?

Shikamaru wondered why Naruto had gone quiet instead of yelling at him loudly or some other bothersome thing. Naruto didn't like it when anyone insulted anyone else.

Taking out his frog purse, the blonde haired ninja put some money down on the tab bowl. He gave a fake cheery grin that Shikamaru only suspected of being fake and gave a way. "Later, lazy-ass pineapple!"

A sigh was heard as Naruto exited the restaurant. "…Too troublesome."

* * *

Sakura clapped her hands loudly to gain attention. "Okay, you can stop now Mizu!" Her green eyes glittered happily at the beautiful teen though she couldn't help the feeling of jealousy inside.

How could this girl get it so quickly?

Hell, even Sasuke had to take some time to walk up trees and do all this basic stuff when he was young that took a few years to do. Yet she got it so fast and straight away.

She was currently walking; no, running around on water like she was on the earth and it was no big deal! Her control over her own chakra was just _that_ good. And it pissed her off that Mizu was pestering her for more things, like Tsunade's own teaching that Sakura was reluctant to give up.

Sakura just didn't know what next to teach her. She'd been taught the chakra control exercises such as tree climbing, rock climbing and water walking and nearly had perfect control. She had been taught the basic jutsu's and learned them easily. She'd been taught basic strategies and plans.

Her aim was great, though it could use some extra work.

Yeah. Aim.

The pink haired kunoichi went over to a tree – since they were training in the forest next to a river – and took out a kunai. She started to scratch out a rough circle with a smaller one inside it and a larger one outside it. A small wind blew by and Sakura could have sworn she heard a whistle, but ignored it.

"That's great Mizu, you're doing really well!" Sakura praised making Mizu strut happily as she came over. She rolled her eyes at the girl with a grin on her face. "I think you should work more on your aim now."

The board was finished and Mizu pouted.

"But…" Mizu whined like a child, trying to use her charms, but failing.

"No buts!"

"Fine…"

Sakura tutted as Mizu's happiness fell into gloominess. All kunoichi had to have good aim and that was that. No arguments. "How about we make some cookies after?" She offered kindly, wanting to bond more with the girl.

"Yeah!" Mizu cheered, a fist in the air.

The pink haired kunoichi laughed and went into a meditative pose as she sat on the ground, hands performing the 'tiger' animal weave as she did so. She glowed with green healing chakra that fluttered and flickered.

Mizu watched Sakura intently as she flung the kunai and shuriken sharply, not missing the middle circle once, as if she had done it for years. As soon as the kunoichi went into a deep enough meditation, Mizu bounded away, intent on one aim.

A small smirk lit the girls face up as she flew from branch to branch with immense speed.

'_Gotta hurry before she notices me gone._'

* * *

_I toldja this would be up as soon as I got five reviews and saw them! I think I shall do that again.Five reviews and the next comes up. I'm half way done checking it over anyways. I'm on a roll people!_

_And what's up with Mizu? What about the issue with Shoko? Oooh, lot's to find out, ne?_

_Thankies for reading!_

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R.

* * *


	11. Chapter XI

Hello, once again, and a another somewhat quick update - for me at least... Since I have the dreaded exams...

Does anyone else thing exams are _truly_ a waste of time? Seriously, they don't go into greater deal of things you know properly and are greater at and even more time at generalizing everything that you or anyone either don't care about or need. Heck, they barely use your creative talents. Unless it's art or something. But still. end of rant. 8D.

_Thankies toooo..._

_Hibiki-chan - Darkligh Kitsune - Ugly.Beautiful (fangirl...more like embarrassing...XD) - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Zero Asakura (infiltrate teh family meal? Not _this_ time...-) - Amber Sea - Frozen Tempest - Nautikitti_

_Hugs to all. And virtual cookies too. Any kind. Promise._

**

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**Chapter Eleven**

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Two days later filled with training, dodging Neji's bops on the head, Ramen, Rokubi's taunting and Naruto, Richochet knocked at a door. It was strangely warm for mid-late December at eight o'clock in the evening, so Richochet didn't bother with her large baggy dark red jumper, though it was wrapped around her waist snugly.

The weapons mistress answered, wondering what was needed. Opening the door, Tenten greeted the girl with a welcoming smile, pleasantness spilling out from warmly every pore. "Richochet-san?"

"Just Richochet."

"Ah, okay. So, Richochet, what brings you here?"

"Well, I found something a little… how should I say it…? Secretive…"

The honey eyes lit up in interest and the demon vessel smirked on the inside while feigning boredom on the outside for the hell of it. "You've got my curiosity all right. So?"

Richochet smirked at her, feeling her life force and grinned evilly and showed her something.

Tenten blinked her warm honey brown eyes at the smirking girl on front of her in awe. There was no way that… Could it be possible? Did she actually…?

"No. Way." Tenten remarked, looking at the little black book in her somewhat-friend's small and calloused hands. "There is no way that that could be…NUH UH!"

"SSH!" Richochet hissed and looked around as if the thing she was carrying was a top secret plan to get global control and domination. "Tenten! Be a little quieter okay?!"

Tenten grinned evilly, grabbed her arm and dragged her into the house, closing the door quickly. Taking time to wait impatiently for Richochet to rip her boots off, she sighed when they finally unlaced enough to slip out of and grabbed her arm again racing up the stairs past the pictures and then into her room.

The team mate of Lee, Neji and Gai-sense turned to her before nodding the bed.

"Why not have a look, hmm?" Richochet said innocently.

"Are you sure it is?"

"_Yes_, Tenten." The lava eyed girl replied exasperatedly, but also excitedly being influenced by Tenten's excitement. "It is."

"I can't believe you got Neji's Diary! I didn't even know that he had one!" Tenten giggled manically as she read the front of the book that had 'Diary' in gold on it. "Heck, there isn't even a lock or anything!"

Richochet opened the page and then frowned.

"What?" Tenten lost her excitement and looked worried. "What is it?"

Richochet looked away, embarrassed with a blush on her cheeks.

"…"

"What's wrong?"

"…I c…n…on...ead…hi…na…"

Tenten blinked in confusion, shaking her head. "What? You're gonna have to speak up louder."

"I can only…re…hir…na." Richochet said a little louder going redder and started shuffling about. She was fidgeting a lot too, uncomfortable.

"Huh?"

"I CAN ONLY READ HIRAGANA NOT KATAKANA!"

Tenten snorted, trying to hide her laughter next to the shorter girl who was completely red faced in shame and simple embarrassment. She shook with laughter, but contained it a minute later.

"How can you know hiragana and not katakana?"

Richochet just crossed her arms, and glared out at the clouds through the window.

"Puh."

Tenten rolled her eyes and easily took the book from the bed where the girl had laid it. "Alright, let's see…"

Richochet leaned sideways to look at the odd characters going up the lines and reading right, trying to get her head wrapped around the style of reading once more. She _did_ live in England not so long ago. Switching from left to right to go to right to left made her brain sizzle a bit; and it was even harder when she barely recognized the characters themselves.

"Wow, look at this writing… it's so childish…" Tenten murmured.

'_Well, duh._' Richochet rolled her eyes. '_It's not as if the guy was born as seemingly perfect as he is now. Though I doubt he'd want _that_ around… he can be such a prude a times._' She snickered inside, a small smirk on her face. '_I'm gonna have to kick that outta him, though I s'ppose it wouldn't go that easily. Living in that kinda place does that to you, I presume._'

'**You have your work cut out for you.**' Rokubi said softly, sleepily.

Did demons need this much sleep?

'**Your chakra is particularly slippery when it comes to dealing with tying our storages together. It has to be done slowly as possible to ensure fullest compatibility and become attune as if it were our own.**' Rokubi efficiently put in for her. '**I need plenty of rest since I'm not used to this. However, I like this challenge and the bonus of your bloodline is a nice warmth round me.**'

'_Warmth? Did you shed your fur for hibernating?_' She said sarcastically.

'**Hmph. No, I use our chakra to keep me warm, but now you speak of hibernating, it isn't unusual for demons to become more intone with their instincts for sleeping…**' He spoke thoughtfully, pondering over the idea and rolling it around his mind for a few moments. '**I do believe you should sleep more.**'

'_Meh, whatever Roku-_'

Her attention was instantly caught with the next sentence her companion alleged.

"He stopped wetting the bed when he was seven..." Tenten read the scripts of Neji's mind violently with her eyes flashing glaringly in the pages, making Richochet shuffle away, trying to hide her nervousness. She'd hate to see Tenten in a particularly violent PMS-ing mood.

Damn…

Shaking her head back as Tenten skipped a page, skimming over it, she spoke again.

"January ninth. Hey that was the day we met each other properly for the team selections!" She noted the impatient look on Richochet's face. "Ehehehe…Well, it's basically saying he thought Lee was an absolute fool and that I was a hyper brat. Great…"

"Next."

"Hmm…" Tenten flipped a page and blinked. "He went straight for four months without writing. May ninth. A lucky day as he found the special defense of Kaiten and that's the day he actually allowed a photo of himself to be taken with us."

"That's the date of my birth." Richochet said idly. She stared at the ceiling. "No secrets or anything?"

Tenten raised her eyebrows. "Impatient, much?"

She just gave an amused chuckle. "Heh. Blackmail wanting is more like it. Bed wetting at seven, ne? I'll have to accidentally drop that thought out when blabbering like an idiot to see if he actually listens to me."

"…Good point." Richochet nodded at her as they took it the smooth white pages with neat and flowingly artistic characters on them in burnished red ink. She appreciated the fact he had an eye for beauty like she did, if his writing was anything to go by. "Let's see…"

Tenten blinked again and Richochet took that as a sign she found something. "Oh my… He had a _crush_ on me?"

Richochet's eyes narrowed slightly and then she closed them tight, putting on an emotionless face. Something deep inside of her coiled up tight as her stomach churned. A dark feeling rose as that 'something' felt like snapping Tenten's neck and ripping off those damn buns of neat, silky dark brown hair and stuffing them down her throat to stop her spouting such… such… _nonsense_.

It was hard to control, and she had to physically control her body from doing something she really didn't want to do.

'**What?**' Rokubi said, deadly, protective of Richochet.

'_What the hell? You're being all angry like and it's affecting me crazily! Why are you like that anywho? What the hell is a crush to make you so pissed off?_'

Rokubi snapped out of it. '**…You mean you don't know?**'

'_No!_'

'**Hmm… It means he was once interested in her…**'

'_So?_'

'**Damnit, you stupid human! It means he wanted to be with her once!**'

'_WHAT?!_'

Tenten shuddered as a vibe of menace and danger surrounded her. She looked over to Richochet to see her as cool as a cucumber. Or perhaps not, on second looks, she noted that Richochet was trembling as if suppressing something… Was this where the evil feeling appeared from?

No, it couldn't be.

In the depths of her mind though, it was apparent that it was from her, though she didn't accept it.

Richochet wasn't dangerous.

Heck, she could barely use her chakra. Neji had said so in annoyance during the training session he came to when Richochet was ill and he wasn't one for lying. Even if she was able to use chakra, how could she be able to beat Tenten, who had been studying and being a ninja for years? And chakra control wasn't as easy either.

It took practice.

More than a month and especially when the girl in question had been exceedingly ill and mashed up when found.

No, it couldn't be her.

Tenten warily looked at Richochet, a new found wariness and caginess welling up in her.

…Could it?

Just what was this girl able to do anyway?

"…Well?" Richochet's mocking voice added on. "Are we carrying on or what? Blackmail, Tenten, blackmail. I'm sure you _know_ what _that_ means, right?"

Her usual sarcastic sounding voice was a little... more tighter and it actually made the weapons mistress shaky for a few seconds before she shook her head as if to rid her of the thought and then nodded to the teen next to her.

"Uh…y-yeah…"

The lava eyed girl winced unnoticeably. She really needed to learn better control but everything was kind of haywire at the moment. '_Why did I act so crazily? So…so… __**pissed off**__ that he was interested once in Tenten?_' Having no experience of such feelings before, Richochet never read the tell tale signs she was exhibiting.

'**Now, now, pet…No need to be angry. I do believe I heard the word 'had' in there.**' Rokubi hummed in delight as he heard a snicker from Kyuubi in their mental link. '**Ah Kyuubi, isn't it great? Demons do love this courting business.**'

'**YES, WE DO.**'

'_What? I don't get it…_'

Richochet also blinked in confusion as Tenten said something else about Neji having found a new technique. '_Me neither, whiskers._'

'_Che, then you're curl-gurl cause your whiskers cuuuuurl all funny like._'

A smirk tugged on Richochet's lips.

"Oh, here Neji talks about how annoying you are and how much he wants to kick your ass to kingdom come when you actually stand a chance against him. Then he says something about a second-" Tenten nattered on and on before Richochet finally took the diary and left through the window with a wave. "-Feeling…Uh…bye then…"

Quickly getting back to the household, Richochet put the book away in the place she found it and ducked into her room, undressing and getting into a night kimono and slipping into bed.

A sigh escaped her lips as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

She was awoken by Hinata shaking her gently and she looked up Hinata blearily, not liking the fact she was woken up this early. "You better have a god damned good reason." 

Hinata smiled lightly, ignoring the insult in favour of knowing Richochet didn't like being as early-bird like she was. Grouchy was definitely a good work for the first ten or fifteen minutes she was up for. "Neji hasn't started this yet since he was busy on that short two-day mission, but I will. I'll help you with the Gentle Fist for an hour."

Richochet noticed how Hinata didn't stutter. She didn't point it out however, not wanting her to get embarrassed and then start stuttering with nerves.

'_Huh…Gentle Fist?_'

'**Get up already, lazy pet.**' Rokubi grumbled. '**It's time you learned something important. You have to fight to protect yourself from Akatsuki and Orochimaru.**'

'_Who and who?_' Rokubi didn't answer, but she got the impression that he let something out he shouldn't and was mentally scolding himself. '_I'll just find out later._'

Still no reply.

'_Damn._'

Richochet got up slowly, shaking herself from the sleep that wanted to keep her rooted to the bed. She dressed in the clothes Hinata brought out for her – a black elbow length shirt with a v-neck with a fist net shirt to her wrists under it and a three quarter length khaki cargos and fresh underwear and bandages.

Tugging on the zori's, she padded out to the training area with Hinata, shivering at the cold.

Hinata smiled softly again and Richochet blinked. "I'll show you the beginning stance now."

Taijutsu.

This was Richochet's element for sure. With her earlier knowledge of the Shaolin Leopard Style and Muay Thai Style, having a new style seemed appropriate to round it off for the magic number. Ignoring her ability at gymnastics and blades training of course.

Now she though about it, she wanted her gloves back.

'**I made some adjustments to them.**'

'_What did you just say?_' She asked in a dangerous voice, feeling as though she would stab herself for the sheer pleasure of hearing him scream. It would feel good and bad at the same time, but she'd cope.

'**And your blades too…**' He added absently, falling back asleep.

'_ARSE. HOLE._'

No reply.

'_AGH!!_'

Hinata blinked at her. "Richochet-san?"

"Call me Chet-chan…"

Hinata blushed at that. "O-Okay, C-Chet-chan…" She coughed and went back into her stance and Richochet copied as best as she could. "Now, y-you h-have to circle y-your chakra…"

Richochet winced. "Hey Hinata, can we get the style down first and then the chakra? I'm not good at chakra control, but stylized fighting is my fort."

"S-Sure."

The lesson was pretty short actually, but long enough for Richochet not to get bored or anything.

But during it Rokubi was so damn _picky_ about it.

'**It's not my fault you suck.**'

She twitched. The demon infested girl felt Neji's life force behind her a few strides away, but when he was close enough to her, she turned around to be eyes to collarbone with him. Well, it wasn't face to face was it? She can't help that she's short-ish.

He looked down at her, raising an eyebrow, less than a foot away.

No, wait; make that two thirds of a foot.

Her measuring had to be perfect.

He leaned down, a smirk on his lips as he stared at her, eye to eye.

Richochet narrowed her almond shaped eyes in suspicion. "Whaaat?"

"I've decided something."

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Mmhmm?" She gave an amused smirk. "And what would that be, oh _great one_?"

"I'm not telling. I'll be back in a few minutes." And with that, he walked past her, chuckling deeply and jumping away.

Richochet let out an aggravated sigh through her nose. Why was this boy just so weird? Why was she so weird around him?

"Tch. Jerk."

She looked at Hinata who was watching her with those same mysterious white eyes that the Hyuuga family held. They really were intriguing. Better than her creepy ones at least. _And_ they could go all vein-psychedelic and stuff and be able to see all around them. It probably made their eyes good too.

Her eyes just kind of… hey, wait.

'**About that…**'

'_Why are _the colours_ dimming?!_'

'**Well, us weasels have excellent eyesight and are sensitive to vibrations…but we don't see in colour very well…**' Rokubi shrugged. '**It's only your colour sight will dim.**'

'_You _really_ know how to inform someone, _don't_ you?_' She replied with a bite. '_What else is going to happen to my body?_'

"Um…Chet-chan?" Hinata said hesitantly. "I've seen that, while you're not the greatest at chakra controlling, even though your chakra storage has matured enough already and you should have done so a good week or two ago, and I haven't seen you do Genjutsu-" Richochet couldn't contain the wince, knowing she wouldn't be able to do any. "-Your fort lies in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. You excel especially in Taijutsu and have made up styles to defeat my own in an instance."

Richochet cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing in concentration. "So?" She really didn't see the point in this. She never claimed to be smart, so don't give her grief. "You put me on my butt each time, but only cause I've never seen this style."

'**And it seems they **_**can **_**block your holes as well. Maybe if you put your own chakra to surround it then it'll pop back out? Seishou Nen no Jutsu, remember?**'

'_Yeah…_'

Hinata blushed at the truth of it. "Y-You-" Richochet rolled her eyes under her closed lids. '_Oh great, she's stuttering again… I'm so blaming that stupid Neji for doing something like that in front of her._' "-are getting adept at the Hyuuga style v-very quickly."

"When you know a style it comes easier."

'**More like because I'm helping you along.**' Rokubi said gruffly in his thundering voice. '**If I didn't help you, you'd hurt yourself. And you better make sure you know your body hasn't fully upgraded itself. You still have two months illnesses to pass through.**'

Richochet felt a sigh travel from her lips. '_So everything I've done, you've basically had a part…and I didn't do anything on my own?_'

Rokubi was quiet. '**…Well, yes.**'

'_Damnit Rokubi!_'

'**I know you like your independence but…**'

'_Argh! But _nothing_, Rokubi!_' Richochet glared at her feet, worrying Hinata. '_all this time I've been doing nothing on my own and had someone help me like a _stupid kid'

'**Without me you would have the potential to be a great Ninja! With me you have the potential to be one of legends!**' Rokubi exclaimed, confused a human would turn down this offer of power. '**What's wrong?**'

'_I want to be great on my own!_'

'**It would have taken you at least a good year or less to get down the basics and some additional things you would be good at.**' Rokubi pointed out calmly. '**With me, you can do it in these months and get a new style of fighting too. Think of how powerful we could become in a few years and gain respect and acknowledgement, Richochet.**_** Acknowledgement.**_' He purred at her sadly.

Richochet's glare went into a feeble unsure look. '_But…_'

'**You honestly don't care what others would think of you, do you? That they'd think you cheated because of having me?**' Rokubi said in annoyance. His disapproval was very clear as he sent it to her. '**Pet…**'

'_I just don't have the ambitious drive you do, Rokubi. I'm lazy._'

'**Hmph.**' The thunder demon thought to her, making her seal pulse warmly. It felt… threatening, somehow. '**Then we'll make sure you work double time. These Hyuuga do not do much with you. They do not push you as I will.**'

'_How?_' She thought in annoyance. '_It's not like you're able to come out._'

'**Sleep is a powerful thing, especially when the sleeping one has lucid dreaming.**'

Richochet perked up at that, interest peaked. '_The ability to control your dreams?_'

Rokubi smirked before curling up his slim weasel body. '**The only thing you'll have little leverage over is me.**'

The connection was cut off abruptly.

'**IT'LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. I'LL SEND NARUTO AND MYSELF TOO.**'

That line was cut off too.

'_Pushy demons._' She thought before blinking as she saw an incoming hand, blue with chakra. Dodging by blocking with her own chakra-less hand, she looked up at the large male and blinked in surprise.

"Eh? Hyuuga-sama?"

Hiashi smirked at her. "I was watching my firstborn give you your first lesson in Gentle Fist. She is capable at teaching at least." He looked at Hinata's red face blankly before turning back to Richochet. "And you are a better learner than previously thought. Seishou, correct?"

Richochet moved back, eyes narrowing. Why had the Hyuuga head suddenly come out after seeing the fight between the girls? It's not like he didn't have anything better to do, like consult with the elders of the clan or teach his own daughters better. So what did he want with her? And why did he question of lineage?

"Yes." She crossed her arms. "And I don't suppose you're a Hyuuga?" She said with a somewhat amused and somewhat sarcastic tone in it while a small smirk lit her lips.

His smirk widened. "I understand why my nephew gets angered with you. Of course," He waved a hand in dismissal. "I agree with your courtship, even if Neji and yourself deny it as one and fully wish for you two to succeed as groom and bride. And produce many heirs of course."

Richochet stiffened and felt her mouth go suddenly dry as the 'fight or flight' instinct took over.

And Richochet had been fighting for a long, long time.

"…Huh?"

Courtship?

_Groom and bride?_

_HEIRS?!_

Hiashi blinked. "How very witty of you." He said dryly and that snapped her out of her stupor. "You will be together. Especially as you are a pure Seishou as you say. Seishou were the founding of the Hyuuga family. Seishou – the trackers, Hyuuga – the seers then Uchiha – the copiers."

She wanted to fall over and faint, but that was very un-Seishou Richochet like.

"…I don't… It don't think I quite understand." Richochet said slowly, mind still reeling from that information. "You must be mistaken. I come from another world. You know that."

"You came from this world, transported from your other world and back to your home world." Hiashi stated, as if it were obvious.

Hiashi of all people was telling her this?

She really _was_ thrown out of the loop with this one wasn't she?

She clenched her fists and glared down at the floor.

'_I feel like an idiot!_' She remarked to herself. '_I'm the one who always knows where information goes – and definitely when it's about _ME_! Why is everything so screwed up?! I was the one who fucking died here by _NO_ fault of my own. I was the one who went through fucking torture. I was the one who has to put up with this stupid Hyuuga family and having some overbearing idiot as a teacher!_'

Rokubi listened to her ranting with a bored ear as she glared down at the ground. '**…So?**'

'_So?..._SO?! I _was the one who never gave a damn complaint while I was puking my guts out! Hell, I couldn't complain! My throat was filled with undigested food and acid! You want me to do this! And Grandpa Vincent wanted me to kill and eat that… that… that…UGH! And this man wants me to marry NEJI! Why do I always have to bend down and do what others want?!_'

Rokubi nodded. '**You bring up a fair point…But think – these people have had the guts to accept you.**'

'_Have you _not_ seen the random blurs of shadows? They are so obviously ANBU! She tailed Anbu on me!_'

'**Yet they still **_**accepted **_**you, not knowing what you are like.**' Rokubi said calmly.

'_It's just… hard okay?_' Richochet gave a small sigh through her nose like she does a lot, letting out steam. It was hard for her to admit things, but she'd deal with it if she ever wanted to pass it. '_You…you can't expect me to get over it in a month and a half alright? This'll go on for a little while longer okay._'

Rokubi snorted. '**What happened to the tough little kid I knew?**'

'_Softened by people, but not in the least bit less suspicious._' Richochet looked at the man in front of her with scrutinizing eyes. '_Talking of suspicious…why do you think he suggests me and Neji as a pairing?_'

'**You **_**are**_** compatible. Both of you are strong, mentally, and physically though I doubt emotionally-**'

'HEY!'

'**-It's true.**' He retorted impudently. '**-You are both prideful, you can back it up also, and if what he speaks of is right – you are both, well, Hyuuga, really. You just have a different form of it. And you have different styles of fighting that can be used for their purposes. By your standing and personality, you are one of an important family.**'

'_Greeeeat, we're in the eighteenth or seventeenth century where men and woman of aristocracy are marrying tools. Brilliant. Not that it still isn't used in our modern timeline…_' She muttered in her mind.

'**And it's not as if it wasn't obvious you didn't come from here first.**'

'_Eh?_'

'**How else would you have me in you? The only 'magical' thing in your world is that it's the original in connecting to all worlds… Though.**' He added, sensing her increasing curiosity, '**We'll speak more of that some other time.**'

"What else is it that you know about me?" Richochet asked suspiciously of Hiashi, ready to gut him if he didn't tell.

A bit too much?

Yeah.

But she liked to hurt people when she had a reason to.

Blame it on the demon. And Grandfather.

"There isn't much left in the Hyuuga archives on Seishou…" He said thoughtfully. "However, that is only because the Seishou clan didn't live in one place. They lived all over The Countries. Their last lived here. There is something I'd like to talk to you about too."

Ricochet gave a mocking smile. "You can talk to me all you want." And then finished off in her mind, '_Doesn't mean I'll _listen_ to you._'

He turned around without another word, making Richochet scowl in annoyance, and follow. She waved a hand to Hinata out of acknowledgement so she wouldn't feel left out, gesturing her to follow.

The heir wasn't sure what to do. Obviously, her father hadn't included her in the conversation, indicating to her to remove herself from his presence. But now Richochet wishes for her to come with her?

Loyalty to family?

Or loyalty to friends?

Hinata shook her head, trying to shake the stubborn thoughts out. It wasn't that big.

She quickly caught up and Richochet flashed an arrogant smirk to her. Odd. She had never really seen Richochet smile. It was a smirk of smug arrogance or a grin of sarcastic amusement. Never a smile of gentle kindness.

Kindness just wasn't one of the words she would describe her friend as anyway.

Her father's voice resonated in the calm yet somewhat tense quiet. "Hinata, go to your room and study."

"I want her to come with me." Richochet spoke up. "If she is the _heir_, she needs to know of her past… _Right_? It makes sense."

Hiashi pulled his lips into a small line. Then he cocked his head as a small smirk let his lips relax into a smug superiority. "Only if you tell us _your_ background."

Before she had time to react, Rokubi took over. "**I agree.**" His voice was exactly like her own light, sarcastic toned one, and a complete but more demanding copy of it.

'_The hell? Fuck off!_'

'**Too bad. Now talk.**'

'_Smug. Arrogant. Sonnova bitch_…'

Rokubi snorted. '**The kettle calling the pot black…**'

'_Tch._'

"Alright, alright." She'd had enough of the expectant look on their faces as they walked to where ever it was they were going. "Ever since I was… What…? Four? I've killed. I come from a world where there is no chakra, so you only use 'Taijutsu' as you people call it and Kenjutsu or blade work or whatever. I enjoyed what I did… but their voices were so _loud_ when they died." She scrunched up her nose and put her hands over her ears as if hearing them now, a disgusted look on her face.

Hiashi paused in his step as Hinata gasped hand to her mouth.

"T-That's…"

"Cruel? Horrible? Terrifying?" Richochet snickered and Hiashi gave her a slightly disturbed look. "Yes, I _know_." She purred those three words, as if delighting in their responses. "I_ like _to fight to show what I am like. I _like_ to hurt people that I'm against to show them I'm someone not to be pushed. I_ like _to kill to let them know I am alive." She explained without hesitation. "That's what I grew up with and that's all I know."

"W-What about your m-mother o-or f-father?" Hinata dared to asked, voice a very soft tone.

"Hmm… My father? I'm not quite sure." She divulged without wanting to, an irritated look appearing on her face without warning. "I was told he died or something… He's probably alive though. I think I'd want to meet him." Richochet paused and looked up at the roofing. "My mother… I only met her once or twice. That was… Oh. That was when someone held me for ransom."

"Ransom?" Hiashi inquired in a troubled tone, looking at Hinata in secret momentarily, and thinking back to when she was six. "Your own _mother_ found out someone held you for ransom? You sound as if she didn't do anything. Not much to say for the Seishou clan then?"

"Mother was not Seishou by marriage or blood." She replied snappily, glaring at the head of the house. "Anyway, she was paid to bare me and my twin sister, my older brother and sister too. It was all a deal with profits for both."

"I met her when… Some woman was supposed to kidnap my twin sister Shoko for even more money but… She couldn't tell the difference between us and took me, the fighting, vicious little brat instead of the soft hearted kind brat she intended to use."

Richochet stopped in her tale recounting what happens next. A familiar chakra pulsed towards her and Neji came into view, a troubled look on his face as he stared at her. He must've heard some of the last sentences being a ninja and all.

"What happened then?" Hiashi inquired.

"The phone rang by chance." Richochet hadn't seen a mobile phone in the place, so she just said phone instead of cell phone or mobile phone. "It was my Grandfather. Take into consideration that he was the one who trained me like crazy, pushed me so hard I seemed to have my own ward in the local hospital and experimented on me on the rare occasion to see why I was so… _inhumane_."

Neji paused past them and watched the happenings, bowing slightly to Hiashi-sama.

"By that time I was kidnapped, I had been brainwashed to do every order of his like a slave, I had at least two years of killing up my sleeve, and was only about… seven or eight years old or something… and was very cunning. Like I am now." She preened proudly for a second before her face dropped into one of a far older person. "He talked to her for a brief moment. Then he passed the phone to me."

Hinata watched the girl for a second before looking away from the slightly psychotic, blood lusting expression in her eyes. Hinata had known it was dangerous to get into a friendship with this girl – her instincts her warned her so many times. Every time she saw her. But she ignored them. There had to be some good in everyone. Right?

…

…Right?

Richochet breathing accelerated, muscles tensed. Her hair fell over her eyes.

"He said… Only two words… to me…" Her fists clenched as adrenaline pulsed through her.

It was if he was there speaking with her at the same time as her demon pulsed through to speak the words with her.

"MUTILATE HER And I did. I hurt her so badly. And I… I liked doing that." A cold wind swept through the corridor. "I liked hurting her for trying to control my life. I was also happy that I was in her life, at the end when I wasn't there in the beginning." Richochet shook her head with an ironic smirk on her lips. "When I was picked up by Grandfather Vincent who saw the body of the woman he gave a funny smile."

"…A smile?" Neji questioned feeling a sense of dread fill his stomach as it churned and twisted. "He saw a body and he smiled?"

"Oh, he knew whose body it belonged to."

There was a silence between the four as Richochet brought up a hand to cover her eyes while the right hand held the left elbow, and started a demented chuckling.

"It was my mother. Can you believe it?" Richochet laughed, not in amusement but in bitterness. "The first time I ever meet my mother and she's holding me for ransom because she's a greedy slut. HA! The first time I meet the woman who's supposed to care for me and she would rather kill me than kiss me. I guess I deserve it… Karma."

She leaned against the wooden wall and slid down to sit on her behind and gave out a sigh after laughing so hard. "After that I was trained twice as hard, hurt pretty hard and healed pretty quickly too, funnily enough…" She shifted a little. "I was then raised up for a few years in 'the arena' as it was called. It's basically just a white marble box with stairs leading down into it while viewers look down from the railed platforms cheering for who they want to win."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes. "A fight to the death I presume?"

"Yeah, underground gang type things. Whoever won got the money. Of course I never did get paid much compared to what good old Grand father did… Have you figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out?" Neji replied, still stunned from the earlier blow of knowing what his pupil had done. He couldn't imagine this girl as a person who had killed. Despite being a brat at times and mostly arrogant, she came across to him as the sort of person who'd be fine in a fight but when it came to it would freeze or hesitate when it came to the actual process breaking the heart and of killing off a person.

Richochet gave an ironic smirk once more, eyes sliding to Hinata and her words coming out as a coo like what one did to a small frightened bird or little animal. "That I was just born for the sake of being grandfather's little money making murderer?"

"So, you had an angsty past."

"Angsty?" Her nose scrunched up at the thought. "I don't mind it. I had a purpose in life, no matter how evil it seems. _I_ was needed. Needed. Someone needed me, no matter how greedily I was used. No. Definitely not angsty. Sad and desolate to some, maybe. To me… It's more like… entertaining and living to extremes. I enjoyed every second of it. I don't really like doing anything else. Nothing else makes me feel alive. If I don't fight, I don't feel alive. Simple as that."

Rokubi smiled in her mind, a little quirk that spoke of amusement and pity.

If only she knew more of the truth.

* * *

Yep, it may seem angsty, but trust me, the last two lines make the difference to Richochet's past. So don't be thinking oh boy here we go again... It might not be what you think it is.

Perception is the key here. And so is 'Shoko'.

Let's not go on from that.

I need secrets, ne?

I knew that this chapter would give greater info on my original characters background, so I added a little light hearted humour at the beginning.

Oh, and by the way, someone asked me in a PM why I named Richochet after my pen name (since it's Richochet and all... - slaps head - uh... _duh_...). Well, in fact, it's the other way around. I named my pen name after my character. XD. Crazy I know, but I thought it'd be pretty cool for a name and it'd confuse people. I do it for fun.

Really. You act like your something of a forgetful person with a simple act on life and when everything's gone into a nice calm system it's BAM! You seem to know everything and everyone looks at you and wonders if aliens took over your body when you're laughing at them in your head.

But maybe that's just how I get my kicks?

Uh, ignore me.

I'm having milk-shake withdrawels.

Review please!

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**R.

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	12. Chapter XII

Yes, folks, I'm back, and quickly this time too!

By the way, this IS an interlude to peer into parts of Konohagakure with the Rookie Nine plus Two Otherworlders.

My love goes to...

_Hibiki-chan - Frozen Tempest - Gaara's Pyro Raccoon - NaraYingyi - Devil-Speaker - Zero Asakura - Moogle In Paradaisu_

Thanks a ton for reviewing. I love knowing what people think of this. All of us Authors know what it's like to get reviews, ne?

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**Chapter Twelve **

**Interlude**

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_Neji asks 'Why do you keep eating those things?' about Lemon Pops._

* * *

"Why do you keep eating those things?"

Richochet looked up at Neji and blinked. Looking down at the white coloured ice pop, she looked back up at him. "You mean this lemon ice pop? It's so good."

"Tch. Too many is bad for you." He pointed out as they walked away from the shop that sold them. The _only_ shop that sold them in Konoha. It was a quaint little thing with ivy framing the whole shop with winter green painting on the framing. The lady inside was really sweet and in her fifty's but she seemed to have a soft spot for Richochet and her somewhat borderline obsession for lemon pops.

Shrugging, Richochet replied. "They _taste_ good though, so I really don't care what happens to my body when it goes down my oesophagus and settles in my stomach."

"This is why you're always ill." He snatched it from her hand so she wouldn't eat it.

Bad idea.

"You did _not_ just take my lemon pop." She glared at him deeply. "Give me back the lemon pop."

"I just _did_." Neji smirked and bit into it.

He stilled for a moment in surprise before walking on again.

Yeah, this _was_ good.

No wonder she was so crazy over them.

Not his preferred flavour, but hey, still good and refreshing.

"Give me back the lemon pop, and no one get's hurt."

He stared at her before walking on and taking another bite. "No."

"Grr…" She growled and tried to snatch it from him, but he held it above his head. The other worlder jumped up, but he went on his tip toes each time she jumped so the distance was still longer than she could grab for. She tried keeping him down by holding his top down with her left while reaching out with her right, but he was still _taller_!

Damn his tallness!

Richochet heard snickering from behind her, but as she turned around blinking, she saw no one. Then a large flash erupted twice as snickering came again before quieting down, and footsteps running away. Frowning in complete and utter confusion, she turned back to Neji to see a smirk on his lips and dry amusement in his eyes.

'_I'm going crazy._'

'**You already are.**'

'_Tch._'

"Neji. Give me my ice pop. Now."

He was having entirely too much fun at her expense.

And she was getting far too agitated and flustered for one lemon pop.

"Neeejiiii…"

His eyes darkened slightly as his thoughts took a dangerous path at her low tone. That voice was entirely too… _hot_ for his teenage mind not to take in that way. Hey, he was coming up to fifteen next birthday. Cut his hormones some slack, will ya?

"Yes, student?"

"C'mon and give me the lemon pop… It'll melt…"

Neji scoffed. "In this weather? Don't be stupid. It's the middle of winter. Though it doesn't surprise me my idiot student would think like that." He chuckled at her angered look that had definitely softened since she first knew him.

Her glare deepened and she crossed her arms over her chest.

She was pouting again, not even knowing. Like usual. He wondered if he should ever tell her she pouted when she did that?

His hand not holding the pop twitched as one side of his lips jerked upwards as he tried not to laugh or smile at her childishness. '_Cute…Wait…No…! It's just… gah… _'

Richochet was at a loss.

What could she do to get her treat back?

She'd demanded and even half implored with bad reasoning.

She'd glared but it didn't work either.

"…"

She grabbed his white top again and tugged pleadingly, acting like a child she had seen doing the exact same thing, with results.

"Ngh… Can I have it back?"

"No." He took another bite but before he could stop her, she grabbed his face and pulled them lip to lip and dug the ice in his mouth to her own with her tongue, smirking widely at him as she pulled away. They were both glad it was too cold for many people to be out, blinking again when lights flashed.

"Mm, still tastes good." She snickered at him as he scowled at her, tinting red in the face slightly. He was also annoyed even more so that those two pests got that private moment in a picture.

Turning away, the demon holder walked on ahead, a skip in her step, feeling his annoyed look on her back.

Then he smirked.

"You taste good too."

She tripped and face planted into the ground.

He got her.

She sat up and scowled at him as he passed, their roles reversed.

"Damn Hyuuga."

Neji just smirked back at her over his shoulder as he continued on.

He'd make sure to get a picture from Naruto and Sakura when they developed them and hold it over her head.

Blackmail.

Neji smirked wider.

What a wonderful concept.

And he _still_ had her lemon pop.

He so won this one.

* * *

_Naruto has a ... Crisis ... So does Itachi ... Sorta ..._

* * *

Richochet raised a brow as the two sat in Ichiraku Ramen. "So…"

Neji had given her the afternoon off after successfully being able to do the animal weaves generally quick. Course, that was after he bopped her head and told her not to stray to far out of his sight. Yet, she hadn't bothered to catch up on sleep in the complex where Neji could get her at a moments notice – and going against his wishes - when Naruto started bugging her for something, demanding to meet at this restaurant.

"…You gonna tell me or what?"

Naruto fidgeted. "I, um… well…"

Richochet leaned forward as he mumbled something intelligible.

"Speak up a little. I'm not a bat already."

Naruto threw her a confused look.

"Bats have ultra-high-frequency-sound hearing." She smirked at his sudden understanding look. "Meh, what's up?" She asked again, digging into her half eaten ramen noodles.

"Well, I, uh… want to know… how to… um, do something. And I figured since you're my big sis and all… that you could… help?" He squeaked out finally, thoroughly confusing her.

"Well, um, sure… I s'ppose." Frowning in puzzlement, she cocked her head to the side and then ate some more before asking the question that had to be asked or they'd never get anywhere. "What is it?"

"Could we go somewhere more… private?"

Shrugging, the demon holder nodded. "Alright, hang on. Lemme finish these off…"

Naruto shifted a little as she finished off the food, putting down some money and standing up. He quickly hopped off the stool and grabbed her hand as soon as she bid adieu to the ramen restaurant owners, tugging her away.

"Hey…" Richochet said to catch his attention. "Is this… embarrassing or something? I mean uh…" Great. Now she was acting like him with his half complete sentences. "You sure I can help?"

He nodded, tugging her to the forest.

Once Naruto felt they were deep enough he sat down on a log, pulling her down to join him.

He and Richochet didn't notice the two people in the trees in black cloaks with red clouds, waiting to capture the Kyuubi. It was one Hoshigaki Kisame and one Uchiha Itachi.

There was a long silence as Naruto got up and started pacing.

"So what's the deal? I was about to take a nap when you rudely interrupted, demanding we go to the restaurant for you to tell me something. Then you get all antsy and fidgety and pull me outta town to a forest and ya don't even start talking." Richochet demanded. Unknowingly telling the two members of Akatsuki the whole story.

"Well, I had a dream…"

Richochet narrowed her eyes at him. "You woke me up for a dream?" She was about to stand up and walk outta there when a thought came to her suddenly. "Well, then. What _kind_ of dream?"

"I dunno, it was just… I never had this kind of dream! And it started because of Kakashi leaving one of his many books being left behind because Jiraiya that damn Ero-sennin wanted some help with ideas. I took a peek and then closed it quickly cause it was dirty."

Her mouth dropped open. Then she dropped her head, snickering so he wouldn't see.

Not that he would.

He was currently bashing his head against a tree.

Idiot.

Up in the trees the two looked at each other, red and black eyes clashing in amusement.

Richochet ignored the fact she knew people were listening because of her bloodline limit. Also ignoring the fact they were oviously Akatsuki with those cloaks on them.

"So, what do you need _my help_ with exactly?" Richochet questioned. "I mean, there's no way I'm touching you in that way so-"

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" Naruto went red. He fell to his knees and pouted at the floor. "It's just… I…."

She gave a yawn and stood up, putting hands to hips. "Listen it's completely natural to get these urges about girls and have perverted dreams about them. You're a guy. Then again, girls do to but… It won't hurt you. Unless you like that…" She raised a brow in question as she swaggered over and crouched next to him.

"But… I wasn't thinking about _just_ girls! And it wasn't just any random girl and guy! It was…" He looked up at her and blushed, turning away. Then he attached himself to her waist and buried his head in her shoulder, making them fall back and bounce against the dry leaves. "It was HINATA-CHAN AND ME AND SASUKE-TEME!!"

Leaning her elbows on her knees, she awkwardly patted his head.

"Then I… I… AM I A BISEXUAL RICHOCHET?!"

"Do you think you'd think about them like that again?"

"…Y-Yes…"

"Do you _want_ to?"

"Um… I dunno… No? Yes…? Both?"

"You dig Hinata _and_ Sasuke. Yeah, I'd say you were."

Up in the trees, Kisame looked at Itachi. His own eyes were widened but Itachi eyes looked… Whoa… Was Itachi freaked or something? His eyes were whirling crazily!

"My… baby brother? A boy… Naruto… Kyuubi… _HE_ likes my… _baby_ brother… _HE_ likes my baby BROTHER?!"

"Uh, Itachi…?"

"My little brother… A freaking demon digs my little brother…"

"How about we try another time?" Kisame suggested, rolling his eyes at his partner mentally.

God. Itachi could be such a big baby.

Itachi nodded as they set off back to the compound which took a couple hours at their high speed.

Leader greeted them with a frown.

"Why haven't you brought the Kyuubi juunishi?"

Itachi stared him in the eye. "…He's having an identity crisis right about now."

"…What?"

"So is Itachi." Kisame ignored Itachi's glare. "Apparently, he didn't realize bisexuals cold be attracted to his little brother at pre-teen-hood."

"…Shut up."

Leader sighed at his cohorts.

'_Why do I go through this again? Oh yeah, power and world domination. Sometimes, with these guys, I wonder if it's even worth it…_'

* * *

_Rock Lee wants a threesome._

* * *

"Richochet-san!" Came an honest voice from behind her and she curved her head to look over her shoulder. A hand was being waved like crazy as it was attached to a person in a green spandex outfit. She sweatdropped at the ensemble but gave a small smirk in greeting. 

"Rock-san?" She cocked her head to the side. "Is there something you need?" She never really talked to him, but he'd done nothing against her and he seemed honest in his intentions so she could accept him easily enough.

Lee grinned at her, blinding her momentarily as his teeth shone. "Please, call me Lee!" Then a shy look overcame him. "I was wondering if you could help me?"

She stiffened thinking back to Naruto just a couple days back. "It's not about dreams is it?"

"Well, kind of…"

"Did you dream of a guy too?" Richochet looked at him with a dry expression on her face.

"Wh-what? N-no! No!" Lee flushed red and shook his head crazily. "It's that, I need to try out some new styles and Neji had spoken once of how you had a different one."

Her eyes lit up. She'd do anything for a fight. "Well then, sure. I'll teach you. I haven't got anything to do right now."

"YOSH!" He cheered.

"Wait… Are you gonna be fine to fight?"

Lee was still banged up from Gaara's fight, hell there was still a crutch under his right arm too.

Not that she _knew_ who Gaara was or why they fought, but he was still pretty damaged.

"Aw, it'll be okay."

"When shall we start?"

"How about the training grounds? The seventh? Now for a couple hours?"

"Sure!" Lee raised a fist and jumped and then grabbed her in a hug, spinning her around in circles. "THE YOUTHFULNESS BURNS WITHIN YOU GREATLY MY NEW-"

"Ahem."

The green wearing dude and the other worlder gal blinked at the newcomer.

Neji?

"Lee, _what_ are you doing with my student?" Neji raised a brow, crossing his arms as he took in Lee's overjoyed expression and Richochet's slightly dishevelled one.

Lee put her down. "We're going to go out together!"

Richochet rolled her eyes at his wording and took in Neji's narrowed look. Smirking, she knew while he thought they meant dating, Rock Lee meant fighting. Even if anyone listening would think they were dating now. Including Neji. "To the training grounds."

"…Hn. Fine. I don't care."

Richochet let a playful twinkle enter her eyes. "You want to join us?"

Neji stilled.

What?

Join them on a date?

Huh?

"Yeah, Neji-san! It'll be a threesome!" Lee said excitedly.

Neji's face paled. "W-What?"

Richochet snickered, knowing what he was thinking was different to what Lee was thinking. "Why, not man enough to?"

Neji scowled. "I don't go that way."

"Pity. We really could use a hand for some pointers in what we're doing wrong." She bit her lip before letting it go, trying to make her face blank again. "I mean, we might be doing something wrong. Right Lee? And after checking out Neji, we both know how _good_ he is, eh?"

Lee nodded. "Yes, we've checked you out many times before!"

At his somewhat tortured expression of what that could imply, Richochet snickered loudly.

"So how about it Neji?"

He gave a horrified look. "Never." He turned around and was about to leave.

"Aww, we really would be better if another person was there to see if our fighting forms were good." Lee said, somewhat depressed.

"Yeah, pity he didn't want to help us with our _Taijutsu_." Richochet said loudly so he'd hear.

Neji turned around slowly and scowled at both of them. "Taijutsu?"

Richochet raised a brow. "Well, yeah, _Neji_. What were _you_ thinking about?"

The large smirk on her face told the Hyuuga Genius she knew what was going on in his mind.

"You really piss me off sometimes." He told her before leading them to the training grounds.

"I'm just that good."

Ha. She so got him back for the lemon pop issue.

Especially since he blackmailed her into… a certain something… with this photo he got from said time somehow.

Wait…

The girls' eyes widened.

_That's_ what the flashes were!

Damnit.

"Thanks, Lee-kun." She smirked at him as he gave her an unsure smile back. "Really."

"N-No, problem. I guess…The powers of youth burn brightly for this!"

"Well... _Something_ burns..."

* * *

_Festivals, Blackmail and Deluded Brats_

* * *

Rokubi snickered. '**You're so easy sometimes.**' 

'_Shut up. For once. Please._'

Neji had blackmailed her into going to the Winter Solstice Festival since he had been chosen to go and protect Hinata but he had to have a partner to go with. So that's where she was going right now with Hinata and a date – funnily enough, was Kiba. Not Naruto? Had the girl finally given up on him?

Answer: Nope. Kiba was also pushed to go by his parents too and he chose the safest option after having himself beaten the crap out of by his sister for not going. And the safest option had been his own team mate who he had trusted.

Of course, he owed Hinata one now, since she had been planning on going with Naruto. Then again, that would have been only because Richochet could convince the drop out to go since that meant spending cash for a formal kimono.

So really, Kiba owed Hinata, Hinata owed Richochet and Richochet was forced to go because Neji was going as a favour to his uncle who was more worried nowadays because of Richochet pushing Hinata into more family business and having her self more involved. And why was Richochet forced to go?

Blackmail.

Damn. Photo.

Damn Sakura and Naruto!

She was going to get revenge somehow.

Oh yes she was…

Just if she could figure out how that is.

Then Kiba came up with the idea that he'd just go snooze in a tree with Akamaru and Richochet ended up asking Naruto out for Hinata anyway.

So it was all good.

Minus the blackmail.

Stupid Neji.

"Ne, Richochet?! Why are you here for? Isn't Hinata supposed to be my date? And isn't Neji yours?" Naruto exclaimed as he opened the door to his apartment.

She nodded, leaning against the door frame, uncaring of her kimono getting dirty, and glanced at his attire dark burnished red looked pretty hot on the boy actually. "Lookin' hot Naruto. Hinata will faint from your attractiveness, I'm sure."

He blushed red. Not only had he dressed up, he had also let his hair down from its spiked up gel style and had it floating down, reminding her of the picture of the Fourth Hokage she had once seen.

Heck, maybe she should snag Naruto for herself instead of Hinata?

Her nose scrunched up.

Nah.

Naruto would end up beaten. Richochet would end up loosing a teacher. Hinata would end up fighting with Neji for beating the crap out of Richochet and Neji wouldn't lose anything.

"You look nice in light purple and burning orange… Really pretty!"

She took out a lava fan from the shimmering lava coloured sash around her waist that had a large bow at the back while the ends slithered faintly along the cold and dry pavement to his door and snapped it open, hiding her face as the characters for Seishou were in kanji in lavender.

"It's lavender and lava. Apparently, Seishou colour is mainly lava and secondarily lavender." She said with a trace of sarcasm. "Like looking at my eyes wasn't a giveaway to _that_." Her actual kimono was three of them to keep her warm. The outer being as tight as possible around her chest to keep out the chill and was cloudy lavender to suit the sash, as if smoke rose from the sash and covering her body. An extra kimono layer served as a coat on top of it.

Instead of being held in a tight ponytail, her hair fanned down to her shoulder blades in it's naturally wild state like that of Kurenai, Hinata's very own sensei, tousled and attractive looking. She even had some very light make up on, enhancing her almond shaped eyes to stand out even more so and instead of being creepy, was intriguing.

Somehow.

God knows how these Hyuuga women did it but they did.

'**Miracles do happen.**'

'_I'll ignore that one…_'

'**Ah, thank you.**'

Naruto felt a foxish smile curve his lips up. "Has Neji seen you and given you a kiss yet?"

"I wish." She replied sarcastically, rolled her eyes as the thought of it clenched her chest warmly. Ignoring it, she knew a way to make sure he wouldn't say anything when she said her next words. "Hey, don't tell him, but he taste's pretty good."

"EWW!"

'**Manipulation complete.**' Rokubi snickered lightly as Naruto concentrated on shaking the thought out of his head, literally.

"Aw man I SO did not want to _hear_ that!"

"Then hurry up, forget it, and come on." Richochet turned around and looked him dead in the eye over her shoulder. "If I have to go, then you have to go."

He gave her a frowning pout but nodded, stuffing his frog wallet into his pocket. "Let's go then." He grinned widely. "AND HAVE ME SOME FUN!"

"You're so glad Hiashi and Neji didn't hear that. Hyuuga are protective of their own. They'd wipe the floor with you for touching her indecently in any way."

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"Sure."

"I didn't!"

"…Pervert."

"ACK! I'M NOT A PERVERT!!"

"…"

"…"

"…Pervert."

_Sigh._

"…I give up."

* * *

"HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto waved madly as Richochet put a hand to her face at his loudness. 

Yeah, wake the whole neighbourhood, why don't you?

Alert every damn enemy ninja while you do so.

Brilliant going, bro.

'**I thought your cynical side died a while back?**'

'_It revives itself now and then._' She replied back lazily. '_Just ignore it and maybe it'll go away again. And maybe it won't._'

'**Hmph. I'm sure.**'

Removing her hand from her forehead where it covered most of her face, she gave a smirk to Neji, who smirked back with a nod. "Not too bad, Hyuuga. You clean up well."

"And you too, spitfire."

Her eyebrows, newly plucked, rose in surprise. "Spitfire?"

"Suits you."

"I'm sure."

'**Copycaaat.**'

'_Piss off._'

Rokubi just snickered looking out of her eyes. '**He does clean up well. It would have been nice a challenge to seduce this one.**'

'_Huh…? Seduce? Did I hear right?_'

'**All demons are bisexual. And since you're a holder of a demon…**'

'_No wonder Naruto was freaking out. Since Kyuubi had only agreed to start co-existing more because of us… It must have triggered that reaction in him._'

'**Heh. Bingo.**'

'_Wait, am I bisexual too then?_'

'**No. You're **_**pan**_**sexual. Meaning you will love the act of love and sex instead of just the person and don't care for their gender or connection to you. It's why you **_**truly were **_**in love with your sister. Not just sibling love.**'

'_Bloody hell. That sucks… No wonder it affected me hard with having fears and nightmares. And I don't even get the concept of love… Why are there so many types?_'

'**As it has been quoted, the only way to heal a heart is to break it. You just need someone to looooove you.**'

'_Don't EVER say that again._' She shuddered. '_Heck, I don't even properly know what love is but that was damn freaky._'

'**Fine.**' He huffed, insulted. '**Just know I won't help you get Neji.**'

'_I don't want Neji…_' Richochet frowned and then peeked at Neji and noted his apparel. '_He's not wearing the hitae-ate or that bandage and has a tattoo… It's pretty cool._'

'**It's a seal that all branch members get to make sure they don't give out secrets of the Hyuuga body when they die or are alive. It's a curse basically.**'

'_I'll say nothing then._'

'**Wise choice, youngling.**'

Naruto was still speaking loud and boasting to Hiashi how he would protect Hinata with his life.

Richochet rolled her eyes again, walked over and slapped him upside the head with her fan that was snapped shut. "Yo fox-boy! Shut up already!"

"Why you-!"

"Stop making Hinata wait to go and be a gentleman instead of the crazy wild boy you always are." She shrugged lightly, making his eyebrow twitch as a smug grin sat on her lips

Hinata however, had _only_ been staring at Naruto the _whole_ time.

Wait…

…Was that _drool_ on her chin?

"I'm not wild!" He whined.

Neji had enough of this, wanting it to be over as soon as possible, getting some rest and then waking up to start a new day of training. "We go now." Neji gripped both Hinata and Richochet's upper arm and proceeded to leave Naruto behind.

"Hey! Dattebayo! Don't leave meeee!"

Hiashi raised a brow. '_Is my daughter really safe around this idiot boy?_'

Walking around on her own, Richochet really didn't mind the alone time.

She'd already chased Naruto for flashing another photo before poofing away as a Kawarimi, making her glare at the flopping fish on the ground in anger. Neji had a similar reaction to this too.

It disappointed her that the colours had all but dimmed because of housing a full blooded demon though. Festivals were supposed to be marvelled at because of the artistic difference it had to every day life.

Stalls surrounded her as she flapped her fan slowly in her face, giving her fresh air for the overly tight kimono she had on. Not that the actual air didn't cut it seeing as it was winter, but she had always been a bit odd at times.

Children played around her while mothers and fathers kept watch over them with one eye while trying to enjoy a peaceful drink amongst friends which irritated her since sometimes they grasp her kimono to hide behind her.

"Kid, let go." She looked down at the newest kid, some five and a half year old that had been crying dressed in very rich fabrics. She frowned.

'_The heck is he crying about?_'

'**Comfort it?**'

'_Should I?_'

'**Well why not?**'

'_The mother could accuse me of kidnapping. It's happened before._'

'**Happened before? Oh right…**' Rokubi sweatdropped, remembering that time. '**You have a point. But maybe the pup's lost?**'

'_Yeah._'

He tugged on her kimono again and she crouched down. Holding out his arms to her imploringly, he gave her a pleading look. "You wanna be picked up?" He nodded. God he was tiny and weightless she noted as he was settled on her hip, one arm around his back, while the others held his head cautiously. "What's your name?"

"…It's Heisoku Tai."

"Well, Tai-kun, I'm Seishou Richochet. Remember that. Where's your mother or father or caretaker?"

He eyes watered up. "I-I don't know. I was looking at a stand while they w-were on the other side of the ro-road and then they were gone!" He burst out crying on her shoulder, tears wetting her shoulder and she grimaced.

'_Snotty nosed brat… I am so waiting before I have children._'

'**You'll probably have twins or triplets or even quads since I'm a weasel and we birth with many from four to six.**' Rokubi snickered.

'_I'd dread the pregnancy, but not the amount of children. I want loads of children. Don't know why._' She replied to him, looking around for those who look similar to the boy.

'**Weird one, aren't you? Though it's because of my instincts I suppose... Why not go to a stall and ask for a place that can inform others of a lost child?**'

"Good idea, weasel…" She turned around and went to the nearest stall, one where you caught goldfish with some odd handled contraption that was very fragile. "Excuse me." She stated to the stall owner, who had a bandana around his forehead and a cheesy grin while wearing blue and holding a fan trying to grab people's attention to play.

"What's up Jou-chan?! You wanna play a game?"

Richochet completely uncared for his last question. Like hell she wanted a dumb arse fish for a pet. "Do you know if there's a place to inform others of a missing child? I assume there is one due to it being a festival?"

"Yer right, Jou-chan!" He grinned. "Down the street here and turn right and there should be some adults flocking the place next to a sake stall and a dango stall."

"Thanks."

Walking down the street, she felt the five year old cuddle against the shoulder he was leaning on, cold setting into his thin body. She took off the extra kimono layer on top of her and flung it around him and he sighed happily, snug and warm. "Yeah, you _better_ be happy… while I freeze my arse off…" Richochet muttered under her breath. "You're just causing me trouble, but whatever."

'**How motherly of you.**'

'_Meh._'

Turning right she indeed saw the three mentioned stall and the crowd of worried adults. Stopping she gave a whistle with her fingers and several red eyed mothers turned to her. One of them perked up at the bundle she was carrying.

"MY TAI!"

"Okaa-san!" Tai cried out and wriggled, wanting to be put down. He touched the ground with his feet when she did and he ran to his mother, still wearing his new coat. Her ex-kimono slash coat.

Giving a half smile, she turned away and walked down the road again, wanting to get away quickly. Hearing Naruto's obnoxious laughter, she went left, back the way she came, and bumped rather forcefully into Neji. "Ack…" She looked up and gave a smirk. "Hey Neji. Had enough fun?"

"For a lifetime." He said dryly, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "Where's your coat?"

"Ah…" There's no way that she was telling him she was kind to someone out of her little social group. Just her, Neji, Naruto and Hinata were in it, and that's all she needed. "…I lost it."

"…You lost it." He said in disbelief.

"Yeah, so what?" She defended herself to him. "Any normal person loses things."

"Idiot."

"N-Neji-nii, I-I'm ready t-to go." Hinata said from behind him as Naruto caught up, holding six fish for Hinata and some dango on a stick, dangling from his mouth.

"Very well then, we'll depart." Neji nodded and led them away.

* * *

The morning after next and Richochet was eyeing the paper as she sat next to a curious Hanabi, who was reading over her shoulder, on the porch to the courtyard as Neji sparred with a bunshin of his. She had to look after Hanabi as Hinata was studying in her room for some family take over business as the next head. 

A little section caught her eye.

She read it out loud to Hanabi as Neji over heard too. "A five year old son of the Fire Lands Daimyo had been lost and found during a Winter Solstice Festival… his name was Heisoku Tai and had said he was found by a stranger named Seishou Richochet… A reward would have been given but she had vanished…"

…

'**Tough luck idiot.**'

Her eyebrow twitched as she flung the newspaper away angrily. "GOD DAMN IT! _And_ I gave him that nice warm coat too…"

A little cough made her look up to Hinata, who was holding a package. "This is for you."

Richochet took it and opened the brown crinkled package. It was square like and small. There was now a box about half a hand high and was red velvet with a metal frame. A Konoha leaf insignia was stamped in emerald green on the top, showing the lands support to its ninjas.

Opening it slowly, she took out a small medal that was cross shaped with the outline of the Konoha forehead protector sign on top with some other fancy decorations. On the bottom of it was 'to services of The Fire Daimyo' making her raise a brow. The thing was held up by a short bold blood red ribbon that would attach to something or other.

She took out the letter from under it with a wax insignia and cracked slash opened it.

_To Seishou-san._

_Thank you for finding me! I wanted daddy to give you something for thanks._

_I'm keeping the coat that you wrapped around me to keep me warm, it'll remind me of you and your kindness._

'**This brat is deluded.**'

_I hope you're doing well and we'll meet again soon when I'm not crying and we can go play sometime okay?_

Richochet felt herself sweatdrop.

_Have fun and eat your greens even though they're yucky!_

_Heisoku Tai._

_PS_: _Come see me in my family's palace, okay? It's up north some kilometres away and this letter will let you in no problem. Hope to see you soon and bring a friend too!_

'**He's also quite adorable.**'

"The medal is cool and all but…" She sighed. "…It would have been nice to get that kimono coat back. That was one _comfy_ kimono coat."

"I thought you lost it?" Neji raised a brow.

"Yeah well… The kid stole it from me, I swear."

Neji looked amused. "Even though you're a ninja in training and he's five years old?"

Richochet looked away, crossing her arms.

"Ah, go stuff yourself."

He snorted and bopped her on the head.

* * *

_Dream Training and Insulting Naruto's Fashion Sense_

* * *

Sleep.

It was strangely devastating, the complete opposite to what it usually was.

Well, in Richochet and Naruto's books it was.

They were currently in an odd void, sitting down on nothing yet feeling solid ground underneath them as they looked up at the two demons without their cells.

The two demons were menacing to behold. While fiery in its looks, Kyuubi's eyes were cold and unmerciful, yet strangely filled with acceptance of the two before them. Rokubi was static and cold, bolts randomly running around him as he looked them both up and down, contemplating, eyes rather comforting.

Richochet and Kyuubi peered at each other. While looking at Rokubi filled her with a sense of security, Kyuubi let her feel companionship of one who wouldn't turn tail and flee. She guessed Naruto felt the same, but opposite.

Naruto himself was wondering where the cage they were held in were, but soon grew conscious of the fact they were imbedded into the void, the word 'seal' floating by in black kanji in a ghost like wavy effect.

This whole thing was weird.

It was…

…Creepiness.

On a higher level than Richochet's eyes.

Though, he was used to the creepiness of her eyes and welcomed it. It was better than those eyes Sasuke always gave him or the ones Kakashi gave him. Evil and lazy as hell. Annoying all in all. Plus, if they weren't creepy, he probably wouldn't like her as much. He liked weird people.

"Did you call me weird?"

Naruto stiffened and turned to her with a cheesy grin. "Uh… maybe?"

"Pissant. I'm not the one with bad fashion sense."

Naruto gaped at her. "What?! If this is to do with colours then your jumper if overly baggy reddish orange too!"

The fox and the weasel looked at each other and then turned back to their charges.

Richochet frowned. "Tch, it goes with my 'creepy' eyes fox boy! At least I _co-ordinate_ my colours you fashion dead idiot!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Do they really look that bad?"

"…YES! IT'S LIKE THE SCUM OF THE EARTH FOR SATANS' SAKES! I think black would go better with that damn orange."

"EH?! You weren't talking about the orange part, just the blue?" Naruto said in surprise.

"Hell no. Orange is one of my favourite colours, despite not being able to eat the coloured food without getting poisoned."

"You're being odd and not you. Usually you'd take the piss out of me and then be nice... ish."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"You're right for once."

Rokubi snickered. "Everyone gets warped in these things _but_ demons. While Naruto is usually attention seeking and uncaring of what he looks like, he is now self conscious and worried of what even _one_ person thinks. While Richochet is usually laid back and lazy, she is actively seeking out to help with his fashion and is also somewhat self-conscious, taking insults less easier than she would normally do."

"Whoa… he's right."

"Crazy."

"Yeah…"

"I still think your eyes are creepy though."

"And your fashion sense does suck."

Kyuubi butted in interrupting them. "Can we get back to training already? I swear… These human…"

Rokubi snickered again. "Time for defensive, movement control and speed lessons!"

"Huh?" The two demon carriers replied.

WHAM!!

Naruto and Richochet slid down the sides of the void, groaning, while Rokubi and Kyuubi's paws were in the air.

From that moment, the two had a funny feeling this could actually be worse than hell.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed!_

_We'll get back to the story soon. I just thought that I didn't show much of their normal lives and it needed a bit more humour to make it enjoyable._

_So whatcha think?_

_Want more of these? Or more story?

* * *

_

_**R**.

* * *

_


	13. Chapter XIII

**Hey, again,I got this out pretty quickly. Exams are over and I'm recuperating now. **

**My love too...**

_Devvil Speaker - Ugly.Beautiful (no, she didn't I have an ending at this chapter that'll put you at a little rest, but I left it like that for a reason..) - Hibiki-chan - Moogle In Paradaisu - Random Reviewer - Zero Asakura (that idea'll be left to say... V-Day?) - Uchiha-Itachi-3434 - Frozen Tempest (what urge and impulse? o.0) - Nara Yingyi_

**Thank You!

* * *

**

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

Many days later, having sessions in the day with Neji and Hinata and getting to know their habits while night time sessions included getting to know Naruto, his demoness and her demon in lucid dreaming – and practically getting mauled each time - was getting hard, and Richochet was sick.

Again.

"Damnit…" She gritted through clenched teeth, brushing black hair from her lava view. "Why… am I sick this time, Rokubi?"

'**Don't speak out loud.**' Rokubi said absently. '**You look like a mentally unfit person.**'

'_Why am I sick?_'

'**Hmm… This time it's because you're in the second stage healing. Detoxifying once more and stabilizing your body.**'

Richochet leaned away from the puke bucket, breathing heavily. _'I thought I already detoxified and stabilized!_'

'**This is the final detoxifying for the human body. **' Rokubi replied quickly, giving her a headache. '**The stabilizing was of your soul. That's why you have your key now.**'

"Meh…" The Seishou grumbled, flopping on her pillow.

'**Don't MEH me brat. It's the truth. Anyway,**' He said dismissively, '**It's about time you were ill again.**'

"You say it like it's a good thing…" She mumbled, rolling onto her side.

'**Hmph. You'll have to work more on your own chakra… I do not want these Byakugan eyes staring at you to find you have a demon in you.**' Rokubi growled, thinking of how the Head had come close to finding out.

_Richochet stared at the scroll in front of her. She lightly touched her gloved hand to it, as not to break the paper, old from wear and tear._

"_Tell me," Hiashi said, voice demanding but light, coaxing her to tell only truths. "Do you know of the bijou?"_

_The girl rolled her eyes and looked away. "Does it matter? You're gonna tell me anyway, old man."_

_Hiashi pursed his lips in irritation. _

"_What do you know of…Raijuu?"_

"_Who?"_

_Rokubi chuckled. '_**It's an old slang of my name.**_'_

_Hiashi paused before sighing, somewhat relieved and somewhat in dismay. "Never mind."_

Thinking back to it, Richochet wondered if, ultimately, she should've said something. Would it have been worth it? Would it have made her a suspect of murder? Then again, she was a murderer, but not that she cared. She was a lot of things and could do a lot of things – murderer, other world-er, random thief, ex-schoolgirl, lemon pop lover – but a time-traveller she was not.

Though that'd be hella cool.

She'd _so_ screw everything over for the hell of it.

'**Student,**' It was what Rokubi had taken to calling her with her other nicknames, which included little one, pet, avatar and Chibi-Itachi but never her name. '**What have I taught you? Repeat it for the sake of these readers.**'

Richochet blinked. '_What readers?_'

Rokubi smirked in her mind. '**Just repeat.**'

'_Fine, fine, damn pushy weasel demon._' She muttered in her mind. '_I finally got the hang of using thunder to heal myself. So I summon up some clouds and control them to hit me and I feel better immediately. There's a few problems though. One, some places are really dry, like the desert and it'll take forever for it to arrive. And Two, dreaming and reality are _different, _stupid weasel_._ What will change?_'

'**What's changed is that we now co-exist peacefully. You've fully taken thunder into you… though; anyone apart from a select few – of my choosing that is – will get electrocuted if they touch you.**'

'_No touching? Hey if Mizu comes… Does that mean ZZZP?!_'

'**HEH.**' Kyuubi added in, making her jump. A snore went through the connection, letting Richochet know that Naruto was currently sleeping. Then again, it was three in the morning. '**YES. NO MORE TOUCHING OF STRANGERS OR FRIENDS – APART FROM NARUTO, HINATA AND THAT SENSEI OF YOURS.**'

'_Cool. And the other thingy… That Instant Transition ball of lightning... As fast as lightning... Really cool. Hey, that reminds me, how come you didn't use this technique when you were gettin' sealed?_'

'…**Shut up.**'

'_Idiot._'

'**However…**' Rokubi no Raijuu prompted her, ignoring her last comment. '_**Brat.**_'

Richochet sighed. '_I've gained weaknesses. As well as orange stuff I can't eat purple stuff, so no more grapes and wine – damnit. I'm still slow as hell and trying to control chakra is still a bitch too... And since I have acquired your ability to do that Instant Transition Lightning Ball I am now very weak against... funnily enough, gold. What the hell is that about anyway?_'

'**I've never been able to touch it without burning myself.**' Rokubi said simply.

'_God, I only know a few actual jutsu's. Let's list – Henge (though I can't really do it that well for some reason), Kawarimi, Kage Bunshin-_'

'**And simple Bunshin no Jutsu.**'

'_What?_'

Rokubi huffed in annoyance. '**Kage bunshin is the blood and bones, bunshin is just a weaker stage of it, but it is still useable.**'

'What_ever. Then I've got Rai'un no Jutsu. It's basically 'thunder cloud technique' that well, gathers thunder clouds, and zaps me to heal me and give me an energy boost. Right now, it can only heal bruises and scratches and give energy, no giving back arms or legs or whatever just yet. Or it can zap opponents too and hurt 'em bad since no one likes getting electrocuted. Raijuu and I made it up._'

'**Hmm… It's a surprise you can even do that at the way you were going in the dream training.**' He left out that he didn't really think any _human_ could summon his clouds let alone use his thunder to heal them. Then again, he assumed she eventually would be able to but since she had a knack for thunder techniques anyway and since she had him in her, it was no surprise she got it now.

'_Arse. ANYway… I also know the lightning instant transmission technique – Rai Shunkan Ido it's called and I just have to use the tiger symbol for concentration but it ain't needed – and… that's it… JUST FIVE techniques?!_' Richochet scowled and rolled over on the bed.

'**Shut up. Stop complaining. It's five very handy techniques. Yes, others probably know at least fifteen techniques. Yes, you are behind. Yes, I know. You're still learning and you get Neji as a teacher. You're learning the Gentle Fist. You have a Seishou body suited for tracking and feeling out energies. You have me with my incredible-ness and I'm teaching you. What more do you want?**'

'_Fine, you win._' She gritted out in her mind, pissed off at his ego.

'**So, you. No earth techniques or Genjutsu and barely any other Ninjutsu… Though you lack the normal ability to do so, so you'll have to perfect those you can do… Fire burns you real bad. No touching or owning gold. No eating orange or purple stuff and fewer vegetables… Oh, and don't get to close to anyone else, lest you find yourself attached to them-**'

'_An annoying Weasel Demon… This mind connection thingy with two murderous demons and a brat I can't be angry at no matter how disgusting his table manners are… getting my arse handed to me each time I sleep as well as by Neji and Hinata with their experienced Gentle Fist…_'

'**Others would give their soul for this training.**' He sniffed.

'_You can't expect me to _not_ whine. I was living quite contently on Earth. _And _I could eat anything I want… I mean, plenty of stuff is orange or purple! Loads of fruit and vegetables and some other products...I think I wanna cry… I hate you…_'

Kyuubi snickered at Rokubi in her mind as he let out a huff.

'_Males._'

'**INDEED.**'

'**Tch. Females.**'

"You know what, Rokubi? I'm outta here." Richochet coughed and stood up, immediately sitting down, really light headed and dizzy. "Whoa… Make it, 'I _will_ be outta here' instead…"

And so she was.

* * *

She looked around Konoha again, silently delighting in all the colours she could still see. For some reason, not pointing fingers, of course, her eye sight was steadily changing.

In fact, the dirt ground she was walking on was a dull brownish grey instead of light brown as it should be and as she stared at it, the colour slowly lost its' brown tone, merely staying an obsolete grey. Ugh. The blaring casino light of neon pink, yellow, orange and purple had toned down and appeared to be just blared light. However, red stared out at her, blinding her immensely yet not really affecting her at the same time.

She stilled, still tired and weak, but wanting to know what was up with her body.

Not only that, but the chakra surrounding everyone had grown. Instead of people looking normal, everyone had bulbs of lights appearing all over them- it was their tenketsu points – and they also had their heat surrounding them. It was like heat ray vision. Reds surrounding their most blood filled points, such as the neck, while it dimmed down in their cooler points, such as the tips of fingers.

It seemed she could only see in certain colours now black, white and grey and also chakra colour that is either bright chakra red, sky chakra blue and green healing chakra.

No other tones of these named colours.

No colours such as purple, brown, orange, pink, yellow, gold, bronze and the list goes on…

She honestly thought she'd never miss having vibrancy and colour in her life – it never had interested her before.

And now the other world person did, feeling more like an outsider than before. Everyone else was happy and glad and kids ran around with their parents pointing out what they greedily wanted like any being with thoughts did.

Richochet wanted that colour back, wanted to feel less like a tool and a little more like a human. It was getting slowly stripped from her. Yet she had no one to blame now she was in this universe. She felt ostracized from the populace and no one had even _tried_ to make her feel like that.

Hell, that stupid adage was coming back to her.

You never knew what you had until it's gone.

Bah.

Drifting off over to an alleyway, she leaned against the wall, and slowly slid down the bricks of it, scuffing up her baggy over sized jumper. Feeling her head, she frowned to see that she was perspiring, sweating bullets because of her illness.

She breathed deeply, feeling overworked and unfit and glowered at the ground because of it.

'**Don't stay out too long. I won't have this body ruined.**' Rokubi added on to try and push out the caring it held.

'_Meh. I do what I want, weasel._' She muttered back, in a funk of a mood and rubbed her eyes. '_My eyes are killing me… They're throbbing, I can feel blood and chakra circulating…_'

'**I believe your body, now it's gone through one and a half to two stages, has decided you are well enough to start building to your body's natural state.**' Rokubi said in boredom, looking through her eyes, adding more pressure, to see around. '**Any other Seishou brought into this world will go through the same if you are any evidence to that.**'

'_Constant aching pain in my eyes until I either one – get used to it or two – ignore it? Brilliant. And the world laughs at me one more time._' The girl muttered in her mind.

"… - Riously?" Someone said in a whisper, making her ears twitch unconsciously, an unconsciously developed habit she now picked up with the weasel inside her. A male voice had spoken in shock. "An Anbu squad has been half killed off by someone? You think it's Akat-"

Rokubi instantly listened too, pulling back the pressure from her eyes and putting more pressure in her ears.

"SSH!" The other person… well, he shushed. "But, yeah, we think it was that damnable group. Those Anbu were Hokage's second best – no joke either. They were known for their speed in both body and animal weaves overall, so to catch them out…"

"Man… Things sure seem to be heading to another Ninja war…"

"God, you think so? I can understand where you're coming from but…" His voice disappeared.

Richochet chuckled. "War sounds good."

'**Mmm blood…**'

'**WE DO LIKE OUR BLOOD DO WE NOT?**' Kyuubi's voice roared unintentionally through her mind, making her stiffen out of the suddenness of its bringing. She relaxed, exhaling out of exasperation.

'_A little warning, please?_' Richochet asked quite bossily.

Kyuubi merely chuckled demonically. Well, that _was_ the only way it could chuckle. Hearing a demon chuckle angelically would be creepy. '**GET USED TO IT. MY BRAT IS USED TO IT.**'

'_Yeah, well, he's had _years_…_' Richochet retorted, feeling bummed still. 'Ugh, _my eyes…_'

'_M_aster…'

Rokubi perked up as Richochet and Kyuubi listened in.

'_Who?_' Richochet questioned, confused. '_Wait… MORE people can listen in?! Damnit… I'm NOT an operator or a radio chat show host, y'know._'

'**Look to your left.**'

Richochet blinked her creepy eyes at whatever was next to her and stifled and yelp.

'_There's a big fuckin' weasel sitting next to me!_' Richochet yelled in her mind. '_It's as big as a bloody Great Dane dog! How the hell…?! It's got a damn SCYTHE man! A SCYTHE! It's got a damn eye patch!!_'

It snickered and her eyes bugged out.

'_It can _HEAR_ MEEEEE?!_'

While Richochet was freaking on the inside, due to her unstable mind still under the induction of illness as she had a fever, her face was blank and staring at the creature.

'_O_f course I can. _I_ am Kamatari – and now one of your servants to call upon Lady Richochet. _H_owever, I should make my way back to Sunagakure. _I_t is my home as of late. _I_ am a summon pact. _I_n fact…'

The weasel name Kamatari unsheathed the scythe from his back and cut a slice in the air and then another one, forming a ripped X in the middle of the alleyway. Kamatari then tapped it once and it widened, so the joining parts of the X now had a large hole to see through.

'_L_ook, Lady Richochet… _T_hese are your new servants.'

'**Heh heh heh…**'

It was dark and she leaned forward to get a better look, not knowing her eyes were luminous and could now see the darkness clearer than before, her feet dragging her forward inch by inch.

From inside her mind, Rokubi smirked. '_**She'd be one of us soon… my own little daughter. I'll make sure she takes after me. She is a murderer, a demon in human skin, and not a ninja. She'll just use everything a ninja does, but won't actually be one… Perfect. No one can ruin this. My influence will be unchangeable. I will have her rule part of this world, Hokage, Daimyo or otherwise…**_'

It was a good thing she didn't know.

Kyuubi smirked, hearing his thoughts. The same thing went for Naruto of course. Their demonic instincts pushed onto their Jinchuuriki would make sure it happened. Even Shukaku would do the same to his Jinchuuriki despite what they had heard of his screwing up the boys' mind. She frowned internally. Screwing over the mind like that wasn't the right way to go about it.

You had to make it look fine to everyone else while thoughts bubbled beneath the surface. Like Naruto's overly bright outlook but deep loathing for the citizens of Konohagakure or Richochet's arrogant attitude that pulled others to her when she was oddly nice while she was really using them for her own desires.

The two Jinchuuriki might feel as though they had control or some semblance of power over them, but they were being manipulated, slowly, but surely. The demons had done such things for hundreds of years.

Why _wouldn't_ they continue it?

Sympathy?

Ha.

However, demons knew honour and they would not interrupt in the comradery between mates, friendship and allies and teachers.

Especially with their hosts connection they had forced them into.

But, hey, it was for their own good.

Unaware of evil plans hatching in her own mind, Richochet crawled to put her face two inches away from the still black X. Wary, she stilled, waiting for something to happen. Gramps taught her to trust only herself, and that was what she will do. Even if she hated being under his command like a good little servant, she would stay still.

It was familiar and from familiarity she could gain some semblance of control and control was power.

Narrowing her eyes, she waited still.

It was silent.

Suddenly, as if an alarm bell rang crazily, eyes of yellow pairs blinked open, tens, hundreds, thousands and she drew in a gasp.

'**Not as much as Kyuubi's arsenal, I assure you… But they have their great uses.**' Rokubi seemed to purr at them all and was rewarded with a synch of mews from them, barely pearly white fangs.

Richochet rubbed a tongue along her own baby fangs, baring them automatically at them and they bowed. "Cool… It's a pleasure to control you guys. Co-operate and we'll get along just fine." She smirked as Rokubi laughed raucously, echoing in her mind and in the X place void they were in. Heh indeed.

Her demonic resident was finally starting to have its advantages laid on the table like a royal flush.

'**Remember, little one, as weasels are sensitive to everything, so are you. If you get hit, it will hurt far more badly than usual.**' Rokubi warned, and she actually listened to him. '**Get speedy.**'

She smirked. More power, more control and more safety. It's all she really needed to get by in life. And Rokubi, as well as the Hyuuga's were being used to get it.

Good little pawns they were.

All she wanted was power.

She wondered how long it would take for them to realize that.

'**I already know. I accepted didn't I? You hold my life over me.**'

'_Thanks._'

'**That's the first time I've heard you say that to me.**'

'_Mm. Now tell me about Akatsuki. They're a group of ninja correct? And by the sounds of it – powerful. How many is there? And what is their purpose for banding together when they could go it alone, if the theory of them being powerful is correct that is?_'

'**THEY WANT THE JINCHUURIKI. YOU WILL SOON BE NEXT LIKE NARUTO.**'

Richochet halted, barely noticing the X smoothly closed and that Kamatari had bowed before running off.

She was a… Jinchuuriki?

A holder of one of the demon nine, the sixth in line according to tails they held.

And Akatsuki wanted them.

Well hell.

How to use this to her advantage?

Frowning, she got back up with effort and made her way back to the Hyuuga estate, noting the sun was peeking up shyly from the horizon. She had to be there otherwise Neji would get pissed.

She sighed at the trouble of it.

But a pissed off Neji really wasn't what she – or anyone – would want to deal with.

Wait a tic.

"Isn't it Hinata's birthday today?! SHIT!!" She scrambled to find a shop that would do want she wanted.

* * *

An hour later had Richochet walking out of a shop with a satisfied expression on her face.

Let's just ignore that fact she was carrying a huge plushie the same size as her. It was of a simple large bird – an eagle – and there was a large beanbag in it's stomach so you could sit on it. That wasn't it either. Its mouth held a summoning scroll of eagles and she was immensely pleased with herself for securing it with her tricky fingers.

Yes, her kleptomania was coming in.

But who cares?

Also, she had tagged a necklace of simple silver with a small silver symbol of the character of 'luck' attached to it. She had also bought a birthday card and left it open so she could put a hole in the flap and tied a red ribbon to it and the necklace so it swung with each step.

Shikamaru, griping about his Chuunin duties, had stopped to stare at the usually arrogant girl carrying a huge bird plushie around with that same expression of bored arrogance you could usually find her carrying.

Only she could have pulled off dragging a dark purple eagle with white eyes and a scroll hanging from its mouth and look that bored as if nothing was happening.

He put a hand up to his head and passed on by with his duties.

"Troublesome crazy women."

He carried on with an amused smirk on his face.

* * *

The weasel demon holder ran inside the Hyuuga household, ignoring the guards who were staring at her with their amused white eyes and gently laid the large doll down in front of Hinata's door.

Smirking in pride at a job well done, she knocked on the door loudly and ran off to go train or something.

Richochet came to the courtyard and leaned against the door, catching her breath after the gift search. She had intruded upon Neji staring at the birds softly, longingly. The wistful expression on his face made her slightly surprised.

"Why does he look at those birds?" She mumbled, repeating it in her mind.

Naruto picked it up, apparently awake now.

'_It's cause Neji wants to be free!_' Naruto said somewhat solemnly. '_He thinks of freedom when he sees them._'

"You think of freedom when you look at those birds?"

Neji snapped his head to scowl at her then he exhaled and stared at them again. "They're lucky. To have wings and fly off anywhere they want to, no bounds and no leashes."

"Yeah well, I think they'd regret having them if they didn't have a tree to come back to." Richochet noted sullenly and she felt Rokubi rise up from inside her to tsk at her.

'**You stole that idea slash quote from the Saiyuki Manga.**' He said playfully, which was really creepy and odd given the circumstances, but hell, everyone had an odd side to them. '**Like your lemon popsicle love.**'

'_Hush up, you._'

Richochet heard Naruto gasp in her mind making her stiffen for a second. '_Richochet's a THIEF?! That's baaad!_' He whined at her in a sing song way.

'_So the quote doesn't belong to me. Who cares? Quotes are there to be reiterated and spoken again and again. So there._'

'_Blergh to that._'

A small smirk lit up her face at that.

Neji blinked, his hollow looking eyes at her with intensity from his perch in the courtyard across from the single tree, making her fidget. "Hmm. I suppose…"

She gave him a soft smirk, somehow gentle, baby fang showing through as the whiskers on her face made her look coy and mischievous and Rokubi decided to take over for her. For her own good of course. And his own amusement. "_**You are my tree. Just remember that.**_"

"What are you…?" He said words drifting off. He understood, but not the reasoning as to why she would say it. "Why?"

"Does it matter?" She slowly glided over like an animal hunting its prey, but without the spark of intensity in her eyes that a predator had. She crouched down to sit on the balls of her feet. Putting her elbows roughly on her knees and holding her chin, she gave a small grin, deciding to be truthful. "It's because I like you. That's why I come back to you. Not to this place because it's a temporary home. Not even to the Hyuuga's because they're a temporary family. I come to you because you are someone I feel… Hmm… _connected_ to since you've been the constant since I came here. So, you're my tree. And I'm gonna make sure you're healthy and flourishing."

"Tch." He looked away to the sky so she could only see his chin and not the faint blush that stole across his face. "Whatever. Just don't compare me to a tree. Healthy and flourishing? Idiot."

"Well, I _was _gonna say pretty and blooming…"

**BOP!**

"Oh ow…" She held her head in the same spot he always got somehow. It was that damn weasel sweet spot. A little weakness that only those who knew it was there could try and get again. A little weakness that tapped right could elicit a pain or a pleasure. When rubbed by another person, it always felt better.

Crazy body.

No wonder she was always ill.

Slumping down next to his she huffed at the ground, not knowing her bottom lip jutted out a bit in a very child-like pout. She fell to her right until her head leaned against his knee. "You're a meanie."

After speaking them, she groaned silently and regretted them.

Meanie?

_Meanie_?

Of all the insults…

Neji stared at her in amusement, coffee coloured hair moving with him as he leaned forward slightly and chuckled, putting a hand on her head and screwing up her hair, hitting the same sweet spot every time.

Richochet turned into a puddle of goo, slumping against him completely in the waves of warmth flooding her body. It pulsed everytime her rubbed as they stared out at the rising sun of the east. One was about to die of awkwardness while the other was about to die from comforting sensations spreading through her.

Oh how _goooood_ it felt...

Without warning a hum fell from her chest, quickly turning into a purr, her eyes half way shut. She let her hand slither between his knees and held the left knee, shivering at it, not wanting to face plant into the dusty and stony ground, ignoring the jump of shock he did at that particular action.

Neji was… absolutely stunned to hear a regular human girl purr like a contented critical cat. Yet he didn't stop, letting her think he didn't notice that she was doing such things.

Did humans from her world do this?

A sudden smirk ran over his features. It seemed that she had immediately forgotten that she was ticked off at him. He could use this to his advantage when she was unaware or in an advantageous position for him.

Yes, he'd use this for his own purposes.

And the purring that vibrated from his chest felt like some kind of natural massage, quickly lessening the tension in him, so he wasn't going to start complaining about it.

Nope, not him.

Neji was, if nothing, practical and would use every benefit to help himself.

A frown marred the face of the Hyuuga, letting his smirk drop.

And he wouldn't let anyone else know of it.

This was his little secret.

Back to Richochet and she was still purring. It was crazy the way she completely turned into a domesticated pet at a few touches. Coming to her senses as his hair caressed her forehead suddenly, she realized just how maddening it actually was.

And it scared her.

Snapping her eyes open she pushed away and fell onto both hands, still facing him. Raising one hand up to her collarbone she felt the purr die away and let her demonic eyes glint up at him.

"Do all humans from your world purr?"

She scowled at him wanting to walk away, but that wasn't her. That wasn't a Seishou. And she just practically said she felt connected to him, obligated to him. "No. Just me."

"Hn. We have a meeting now. A Hyuuga Family meeting." Neji said simply, as if nothing happened. He stood up liquidly, something that Richochet found herself envious of. Compared to him, her movements were sluggish and drugged horse-like. It was kinda embarrassing actually. Hell, he was more of a girl than she was with all that long hair, smooth, unblemished skin and stuff.

Makes a girl resentful.

Damned if she wasn't jealous right now and she'd admit it. Just not to his face. Like heck she'd shove her pride down for him over something so little.

"Yeah, so?" Richochet replied uncaringly, lounging on the dusty ground letting the cool morning breeze chill her body to stop her from sweating. It hadn't snowed that night and she wondered when it would in this world. It had been back in November in Tokyo in her world. Where was the snow? She was sure she had melted some when she first got here… Wait, weren't they too near the equator or something?

Neji raised a black brow. "Did I not make myself clear? I said '_we_' as in both of us, you fool. Get up." He ordered, crossing his arms over his chest in an authoritative behaviour.

Rolling her eyes Richochet got up and dusted herself off, glad her hip didn't have to suffer from that stupid rock that was pressing into her deeply. Just what did the Hyuuga's want with her in a meeting anywho? '_I thought I wasn't _good enough_ to go to one._' She mused in a put-out way. '_That Hiashi probably informed the elders and made some sorta decision and now they're telling me._'

"Fine, fine…" She murmured loud enough. Then she paused, she was getting waaaaay to complacent these days. Something was definitely going to happen soon.

'**Nothings happened for you to be otherwise.**' Rokubi pointed out. '**And my instincts are agreeing that something's not right in the air. I can almost taste the disturbance.**'

"Completely off track here but… Where's the snow?"

"It doesn't snow in Konohagakure, just on the outside of it. The climate is too warm. It will only grow cold."

"Huh…"

That was a pity. She always had a fondness for watching snow.

Following Neji, she quickly did the Rai'un no jutsu as fast as she could and felt better with storms clouds above her. Something was happening, and she didn't want to be helpless against the more experienced members of the ninja trade.

…If it came to that.

* * *

Sitting smack dab in the middle of the room on a large white pillow, Richochet stared down each of the members of the Hyuuga's own Hyuuga Family Council. They were sitting in wooden chairs behind a white square desk that surrounded the room, surrounded her, encasing her, bearing down on her solemnly, untrustingly.

She didn't like it one bit.

In fact, one may even say she was nervous.

Well, if you had a death wish maybe.

In front of her Hiashi coughed making her stare at him, lava eyes lighting up as she raised a brow in question. He gave a cold smile, one he did in the presence of the family, making his authority known as the Head. "Seishou Richochet, will you answer honestly to questions that any of the councils speaks?"

"If I want to answer it, sure. I will." She gave a smirk back, confident looking, even when her nerves built up high. She hated being the centre of attention. Especially when she didn't like what was happening.

And she didn't like it one bit.

'_Good enough_.' Hiashi thought, blinking back at her and nodding. "Very well then. We will begin. Do you hold the Byakugan or something similar?"

Richochet cocked her head to the side, and found nothing wrong with this question. Hiashi should know this. He told her she was one of 'the feelers'- those before the seers. "I don't hold the Byakugan. I do hold something else. I'm not too sure what it's called." She blinked slowly. '_You're supposed to know this already, shit head._'

'**Why the meanness?**'

'_I'm being me for once. I don't like being this soft. It's irritating._'

"What does it do?" He continued on.

"I can feel people's energy when I use it." A lifting of the lips was there before she swept it away. Richochet wouldn't tell them it was constantly on. Not that anyone could tell if it was or not. She still looked the same as always. She wouldn't tell them she saw bulbs of light from each of every person's tenketsu as well as their heat.

'_Wait, Weasel Beasty, why do I see their heats sources like Heat-Ray Vision?_'

'**Chakra connects to the body's life force and their soul. You can see the life force, their body heat, instead of their souls. Too bad, it would have been fun to corrupt souls…**' Rokubi said unhappily, as he mused thoughtfully. '**I bet the last Seishou in this world wasn't as pathetic as you.**'

'_Oh screw you, man. Just shut up._'

"What does it feel like?" An old man inquired, looking curious and soft.

"A solid warmth pressing against me gently. When I turn it moves along my body. If it moves it's the same. Similar to a _feeling radar_, perhaps." She moved her head to face him. '_Is that good enough for you, you nosy old coot?_'

He seemed happy. Then a particularly stern and angry looking man glared at her.

"Are you loyal to the Hyuuga's?"

"Yes." She just didn't tell them which Hyuuga's. Neji and Hinata. The other's could go parade in nappies and commit suicide while singing like an oompa loompa about bananas and pink spotted elephants for all she cared.

"Is that really the truth?"

"Yes. I'm loyal to Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji. Both of which are Hyuuga's. So I'm loyal to the Hyuuga's." She gave a wicked smirk to him and snickered at his scowl. "Oh look I've fallen out of favour. Boo. Hoo." Her sarcastic bite left him moving back in shock. Obviously no one talked to him like that.

Don't know why though… Pompous git.

"My turn to ask you five questions. What is the true purpose of this meeting?" She settled a glare on the members, quickly going over Hinata – who, as heir, had to be there.

"There will be no questions from you, Seishou."

She shrugged and then closed her eyes.

"Good." It was that same angry man. "Now, why do you not have loyalty to the rest of the Hyuuga's?"

"…" Richochet turned her head from him, face blank as she looked to Hinata. '_Oh yes, I'll answer to you _EVERY_ command. Fool._' She gave a wink to Hinata who smiled back hesitantly but caringly.

"Answer me!"

"I will not." Eyes boiling over with disgust at him, she sneered. "I don't answer to those who don't answer to me. This is a meeting, a place where questions get answered. Am I not part of this meeting? Why should I not get my questions answered? Why should I then answer just your questions?"

Several eyes looked away from her, knowing her right.

'**How …eloquent of you… I'm impressed for once.**' Rokubi snickered as she fiddled with her heart necklace that was beating a deep violet, unknowingly drawing attention to it as she rolled her eyes, dropping the sneer. Looking down at it, she didn't realize she could see the colours of it.

It abruptly became that much more important to her.

Something that only seasoned ninja seemed to need.

A link back to humanity.

"What do you want from me, Hyuuga Clan?" A coldness settled around the room as she stared around at them with a scowl, skipping over Hinata and Neji, much to the latter's surprise. "What do you want with me of the _Seishou_ blood?"

"A partnership."

Her eyes snapped back to the elder on the right, the one who had his words softened.

'_I cannot give them anything though. I have no family of Seishou line here. I am not some hot shot well known genius like that Uchiha kid or Neji sensei. In fact, I'm known as something of an arrogant bitch. I have no money in this world. I have no connections in this world. I only have some friends who are either thought of as a monster or they already know them._'

'**It must be your eyes then. They want them somehow. Or maybe they want me. Or something else of your family.**'

"I'm listening."

The man who was angry speaking earlier continued on. "It's merely a formality but we would like you to become part of us. You live with us. You train with some of our prominent younger members. You _feed_ off of us."

"It's not like I have a choice." Richochet added dryly. Then she smirked and held out her hands, palm up, eyes closed as she continued on without any hesitation. "It was your Hyuuga Neji's mission, by the Hokage, to train me and become his charge. I just made it easier for him by not running off and spouting out every one of the Hyuuga secrets to enemies. If feeding off you is a problem, then I'll move out of here when I reach Genin and move in with a friend."

Hiashi frowned. She'd put up something off a threat without it sounding like one.

Sneaky little thing, wasn't she?

"It was not our intention to threaten you or coerce you into anything." Hiashi calmed the tense room somewhat. He sighed silently, not letting his irritation with his family show.

'**They did a REAL good job of that, eh?**'

"Indeed." Richochet blinked, letting nothing show on her face. "In this partnership, I would have the benefit of joining an elite clan, yet what is it you want?"

Neji stiffened very slightly, but it was enough for Richochet to notice at out the corner of her eye without moving the orbs to him.

'**Ah. Marriage to him or to someone and then eventually babies. Powerful babies with the Seishou and Hyuuga mix of bloodline limits. A typical type of deal then**'

"You'll know if you agree." Hiashi said with amusement, trying to catch her curiosity.

Not working.

"No. I don't need a partnership to anyone. Thank you, but I'd rather not get caught in any affairs of clans. I barely have one back home. If this is all?"

Hiashi nodded with a disappointed sigh and rose. "Dismissed."

* * *

"Huh?"

Mizu grinned winningly at her, the day after the meeting, and Richochet winced faintly at how different in looks they were; beauty and the beast all right. The sweet, cool as a cucumber and brilliant ninja Mizu against the untamed, demon-holding arrogant, lazy Richochet.

Not much of a contest.

She shook her head minutely to get those thoughts out of her cranium.

'**Well, she **_**is**_** better than you in pretty much everything now… Though you'd give her a run for Taijutsu…**' Rokubi stated boredly making her insides churn.

Even her demon was against her.

Tch.

"I brought you some cookies!" She grinned brightly once more, kindness shining from each pore as she held out the blue covered brightly decorated with glitter box. "I made them a while back after Sakura told me off for lazing around when she was meditating."

A toxic scent came to her nose. Richochet scowled at her from over her bowl of ramen next to Naruto who wasn't really watching, too immersed in his noodles and broth treat.

'**Lying, but who cares. She probably poisoned them.**'

Richochet stood up and gently took the box, much to Mizu's delight. Then she abruptly let them drop from her hands as a cruel smile overtook the Jinchuuriki's upturned lips. Stepping on them, she looked at Mizu face as shock and scandalize went over it. She spat on them for good measure, slammed money on the side and walked off.

'_T-That was so… so mean!_' Naruto cried in her mind.

A smirk lit her face. '_And you wonder why people call me a bitch? I do things that please me. And that pleased me immeasurably._' Richochet turned back to see tears streaming down Mizu's eyes but just shrugged. '_That's me Naruto. If I don't like someone, I'll do all I can to make their life hell._'

Rokubi and Kyuubi laughed in her mind as demonically as they could.

* * *

Yep, Richochet isn't your average nice girl. She's a bitch sometimes. There's no other way to say it.

Also, someone said my girl was a MarySue in a review I deleted. Once again its the whole no email adress either. Does everyone think that? Or is it just the whole equation of - Anime + OC automatic marysue deal?

I honestly tried not to make it so she was not perfect. Hell, I threw IN a MarySue to show that.

Ah well.

It's extra long for all of you guys!

To those that like it please continue to read and - hopefully - review!

* * *

**R.

* * *

**


	14. Chapter XIV

**Hello, all.**

My love to...

_Devil Speaker - Moogle In Paradaisu - Hibiki-chan - Zero Asakura - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Masked Ai - Frozen Tempest - Shadow Sparta - Mair9512 - NaraYingyi - SoulMama - Ugly.Beautiful - Neko Of Light. (13 Reviews)_

**

* * *

**

Fav's - Twenty-Nine peeps

Alerts - Thirty-Three peeps

* * *

Thanks Everyone!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

It was dark, and having been severely complained to by Naruto via their link of how Sasuke had awoken and then demanded this fight on the rooftop, Richochet was irritated at the Uzumaki and the Uchiha both. 

Shaking her head, knowing it was just some weird rivalry shit, she found herself at the edge of the village, passed a stone bench and stood at the gates of Konoha, knowing she was being watched by hidden Anbu again. Like always. She didn't really mind, but it would be nice to be away from people so as not to feel their energy warmth against her, constantly alerting her.

It was why she had come out here, knowing that it was dark and less populated. Standing at the gate she gave a small yawn and leaned against the woodwork of said gate. It was quite a nice gate, large, painted as if someone had graphitized on it… Okay, so she was lying, she hated it. It was old, probably going to break sometime and it was currently giving her a nice splinter.

"G'damn it." She muttered, leaning away and pulling it out. Chucking it over her shoulder, she forgot about it completely, feeling quite chilled because of the weather. She was wearing the usual shorts, top and large baggy jumper that she appeared in form her first time. The blades in the hip pouch she had were there, though the lack of gloves would hinder her.

She dug into the pouch and took out the I-pod, putting it on random slash shuffle mode, one earphone in one out, though she knew her constant, well, Kekkai Genkai, she would have to call it, would help her. Oh yeah, Kazangan. Right.

After listening to half of Trust Company's song 'Downfall' her eyes felt a new set of tenketsu make themselves known. Her eyes slid open slowly and she glanced at the arrival.

Well. Well. Well.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Why was she _not_ surprised?

Quickly getting an idea, she left herself as a Kage Bunshin – stolen via an unknowingly Naruto very easily - and sat in a tree away from them, watching through the shadow clones eyes. She didn't want to take any chances with this boy. He annoyed her. She'd probably annoy him and piss him off. Then an eventual argument would arise. And hell if she didn't know he was better than her at this stage.

He walked up as if owning the place, making her narrow her eyes at that but stare forward.

The Uchiha stopped in front of her. "Let me guess you're here to stop me as well."

Richochet blinked. "Who the fucks are you?"

His face was shocked just as she expected. Someone didn't know him? Oh no! The world was ending! Everyone had to know _the_ Uchiha Sasuke! He was famous!

Puh.

"You don't know me?"

"Am I supposed to?"

He paused and then something came to his eyes. "Let me ask a question. What would you do for revenge?"

"Anything short of dying. Like _hell_ I worked and then died for it straight after. No, no, no. Much too disappointing." She'd indulge the younger boy and then gave him some advice. "Make the person you're taking revenge out on pay dearly. Sometimes, death is just a little too weak. Hell, maybe the person who did such an act that you'd want to take revenge on wants to die?"

His brow furrowed. "Hmm…"

Richochet raised an eyebrow; the whiskers on her cheek making her look nefarious. "Why, who'd you want revenge on? And don't tell me you're not. This type of… conversation is for those who are slightly demented in the head. Something I can attest to."

"My brother."

"Tell me about him. I might as well help you think this out from a different perspective." Richochet smirked at Sasuke's face. "I bet you never thought your brother might want to die."

"Hn. He killed my whole clan to test his abilities when he was thirteen."

Richochet perked up at that. "Cool…" At Sasuke's sneering evil death glare she raised a brow. "What? It's just people that are related to you." She smirked at him even more widely, flashing off baby fangs as she circled him. "Hey, he might even want someone to kill him just for a fight. I know I'd do something big for that. And killing off family is a big thing to some…"

"How dare you…"

Richochet paused in her step. "I don't quite understand. I always dare. It's what fun in life is. How're you getting power?"

"From… A man called… Orochimaru."

Rokubi spoke up. '**One of the legendary Sannin. Possibly the strongest, though it depends in what strength you're talking about.**' He snickered... at something.

Odd weasel.

She sighed and rubbed her weasel tattoo that was once a tiger on her right upper thigh. She was getting rather fond of weasels…

"You like weasels?" Sasuke said flatly.

"Hm?"

He pointed at her cheek, then her tattoo, glaring at it.

"They're a part of me."

"You look like one."

"I'm not surprised."

"I don't like weasels."

"Oh?"

"My brothers name is Itachi. That's cause enough to dislike them. Immensely."

"Pity." A new smirk crossed her features. "I find them to be good luck."

"They're symbols of death and bad luck." He said bluntly.

"It depends on who you're talking to." Her gaze narrowed, and she moved her head up, looking down her nose at him. "They've helped me gain power."

"How?"

"Secret." She muttered and then thought the name. "Orochimaru… Is he any good?"

"Very." He replied shortly, hefting his bag up. "He uses snakes."

"I loathe snakes. They're poisonous."

"Tell me about it." Uchiha mumbled, thinking back to his injection on his neck.

It was a pause of quiet.

"Orochimaru will be your sensei then?"

"Mm."

"Why not have a sensei here? Are not Jiraiya and Tsunade also here? Are they not 'Legendary Sannin' too?"

"Orochimaru can give me the most power."

Richochet turned the conversation. "How old is your brother?"

"…Eighteen next year." Sasuke spoke bluntly yet a little hesitatingly.

"Shouldn't you wait a few years and gain as much knowledge as you can here before venturing out? The knowledge you have not yet taken in from here will not be anywhere else."

"It will be with Orochimaru."

"When's the last time he studied here? Wouldn't _more_ knowledge be here by now?"

Sasuke glared. "Hn."

"Impatience isn't becoming of a ninja." Richochet cocked her head to the side. '_Not that I can talk…_'

'**So true.**'

'_Shut up._'

"Tch."

"Which way you headed?"

He glared, suspicious.

"Like I'm going to follow you. I don't waste my time on betrayers."

"Then _why_'re you talking to me?"

She looked at the gate and noted he hadn't passed it yet.

Sasuke raised a brow.

She looked back up in amusement.

"Well. You haven't betrayed yet."

Gritting his teeth, he answered. "West." He answered vaguely.

"A little more direction please."

"South. West."

"Huh. So, you want revenge on your brother for murdering your clan and want power from this Sannin who was once from Konoha." Richochet summed up quickly. "Huh. You should go find Akatsuki if you want power."

'**Apparently, Orochimaru got kicked out because of Itachi. Though it is just a rumour.**'

"After all, rumour has it Orochimaru did get the shit beaten out of him by Itachi and got kicked out of Akatsuki. Not looking good for your _soon to be sensei_, huh?" She smirked. "Why even… bother? You know he's not as great as Itachi now. Look for someone more powerful, is what you should do. Let's not forget little boy, Orochimaru's a betrayer too… he'll probably end up using you even more than you think… Toodles, foolish Uchiha. May your end be swift."

Leaving him with that little cryptic message, the clone poofed out of existence, not to exist again.

Deciding she wasn't tired and wanted to just look around and scope out the outside world of Konohagakure, she took off, glad she had her blades, kunai and shuriken with her. Nothing else was needed apart from her body, and she'd be back before the next day was over.

* * *

It had quickly become boring. The moon was half full, shining upon her with little light. The animals weren't out, having been sufficiently scared by nothing that she could see.

Apart from the weasels who yipped at her and she nodded back, per Rokubi's command.

Deciding on getting a short sleep to get back some energy levels, she hopped into a very large tree, making sure to stay waaay at the top. She didn't want to be ambushed by ninja or rabid squirrels or something…

Heck, she even had about four weasels surrounding her as she settled down in a large knothole in a tree that had a thick branch that curved upwards to hide it. The four brown, white and black furred weasels settled around her form, keeping her warm as another stood guard.

Though it was creepy, it was _really_ creepy when they spoke, "Good night, Milady!" In a cute little chime of words, high pitched yet not squeaky.

Bah.

Crazy world.

Then again, now warm and bordered with soft fur alike to the choker part of the necklace on her small neck, she couldn't say she quite cared to get up and complain about it.

* * *

Being jolted awake by feeling the weasels bite your ankles wasn't the nicest way Richochet had woken up. Hissing in pain and scowling at the lead weasel, funnily enough being the smallest one there, glaring back at her made her scowl just that little bit deeper. It meeped and bowed down to her along with the others, but quickly rose again.

It darted over to the entrance and pointed out, jumping up and down. Her eyes widened as she felt several life forces, one of which included Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto. Oh and Nara Shikamaru too as well as two others. And then when she looked out, mentally thanking Rokubi for hiding her energy as she saw an enemy fighting this thin boy with a leaf insignia and large butterfly wings of chakra.

Apparently, the others had gone off leaving him be. She frowned.

'**Not a problem. I couldn't well leave my charge in danger.**' Rokubi growled as if pissed she would suggest such a thing. '**He's one of the Akimichi clan. Ah…**'

'_It sounds like you knew something like this would happen._'

'**With that talk of revenge on a brother? Tch. I'm surprised you didn't do anything else.**' He scolded back to her.

She rolled her eyes heavenwards, holding onto the sides of the large knothole's entrance. A big dude was getting slammed into ground really damn violently, waves off ground creasing up and cracking under the pressure. No doubt that the big dude was a dead dude.

'_Kinda reminds me of Dragonball Z…_'

'**You know, that's a good idea actually…**' Rokubi spoke up suddenly. '**You should start trying to learn their attacks.**'

'_That's… awesome!_' She let ideas run through her head. '_I could fly! Actually… I don't think so… Flying isn't my thing. I think I need some ground below me and… wait… Though I'd learn it for emergencies. Oh, and let's not forget some of those very quick blasts of energy.. Yeah, I can't wait to… Shit. There's a fight going on, keep eyes peeled._'

Choji staggered over to a tree in pure exhaustion, read what it said, smiled faintly, and sat down against the broad trunk of the tree.

'_Ignoring the previous convo for now… If I say I was thinking of being a healer…_'

'…' Rokubi rolled his eyes. This girl really was getting soft. He blamed the Hyuuga girl. '**Very well, little pet. Go to him then…**' Well, _he_ sounded huffy, didn't he? '**Tch. I am not huffy.**'

'_Whaaaaatever._' She jumped down, the weasels gripping onto her shoulders and back as she landed in front of the boy.

He looked tired, clearly exhausted and out of it and seeing a girl, with light shining on from behind with glowing, luminous eyes and odd markings on her face he spoke. "Angel…?"

Richochet gave a soft smirk. "Silly…" Shaking her head at the fact that she was being called an angel by someone she had barely met, she kneeled next to him. "I'm no angel." She muttered under her breath. "That's Shoko."

"Shoko…? Whos'at?"

"…" She ignored him, knowing that doctors usually would talk to make sure the patient wouldn't fall in a coma or something. But she was a mean bitch at the worst of times. "I'm gonna heal you, so you owe me, got it? You owe Seishou Richochet."

"I owe… Seishou Richochet." His breath was wheezy and heartbeat erratic.

'_Yo, a little healing?_'

Rokubi rolled his eyes. '**Concentrate on positive energy and think green and healing and herbs and force your chakra to your hands. Do this really forcefully since it's the only way **_**you**_**'ll heal others. I naturally give off sparks when you push out some energy. It's a way to keep you training longer since your stamina sucks.**'

'_Yeah, yeah…_'

Doing so, green started to pulse around her. God, healing others made her feel as if she was dry heaving.

'**That's because of me. My body naturally goes against touching positive energies with strangers. Only negative energy like demon ki or chakra doesn't.**' He explained further.

Yet, despite her still just getting over her own illness, healing had come. After some months of intense day and night training and intense getting sick, results had come. Despite being over taxed and under weight, he had become physically stable and just lacking in vitamins and fluids instead of nearly dying and having an erratic heartbeat.

Good.

Too bad she was exhausted herself.

Rokubi snorted. '**Your stamina truly is pathetic.** **Exactly how many hours have you tried to put it up without fail?**' He glared at her in his mind.

'_How many times do I have to tell you to shut it with these comments? I can't do everything instantly! I'm not a fucking genius at these things like Mizu bloody well is! Alright?!_'

'**Do not speak to me so, stupid pet. If I say something it has a point to it. I help you and this is how you repay me? If it were not for me you would be utterly helpless and ignorant of this world.**'

Richochet scowled and sat up. He just had to be right, didn't he? '_Fine, fine. Just know that I don't get things quickly. Like I said, I'm not a genius. I can't do everything you ask just like that. Didn't you say my body just stabilized? I have stamina and speed like that from my last world and I've had only few chances to practice it here. It's expected that I do. Unlike you, I'm not a demon._'

'**Your words hold some semblance of truth… I suppose. Indeed you are not demon. Yet.**' Rokubi smirked. '**In your next illness you will have a great increase of such things by turning part demon. Naruto and the other demon holders, when they hit the appropriate age mark will also increase and gain demonic attributes and they have an age mark since they grew in this world. It is fortunate that you are female and your puberty hits at a younger age compared to males. Your illnesses are violent since you are not from this world and you entered this world at the appropriate age to actually begin this. If you had arrived at fifteen, you would miss this boost completely. It's why I killed you off at your age.**'

Richochet nodded. '_Cool… I get it. Though, you realize I did heal this one so he'd owe me? It could come in useful sometime._'

'**I gathered.**' He replied dryly. '**You only help people that help you back somehow.**'

'_I wonder where the others are… the hell aren't they with him?_'

'**By the way, everything you ever learn is stored in your memory.**'

'_Obviously._'

Rokubi growled in annoyance. '**What I mean to say is that you won't ever forget how to do things. They won't lessen in their intensity like the elderly forget over time but remember some things. This healing chakra? You won't forget how to do it again, it will come naturally. Using my chakra is the same when you've learnt a technique or fighting style.**'

'_Cool… What about-_'

Suddenly a pulse erupted through her shoulder and she hissed at the pain as it thundered through her chest, making her stagger violently. It was as if something had rammed through her shoulder, pointed and bulky. Then it disappeared as alarm bells rang in her head. '_What the fuck…?_'

'**Neji is in trouble.**' The demon replied tersely. '**You must go to your chosen 'tree'.**'

'_You mean, what I felt… was _real_?! He's hurt?_' Her heart jumped to her throat as the heart on the chain of her necklace pulsed twice. Jumping away, she looked back to Choji while the weasels followed obediently. "Don't worry. I'll come back for you, Akimichi. One of you stays here, got it?" She ordered the weasels, and noted the big one stayed. Nodding she rushed away, not entirely sure why she was so damn worried and rolled her eyes as a different weasel joined her.

'_It's because he's my sensei. I can't let that power source go to waste._'

Rokubi rolled his eyes, not that she took much notice.

Stupid idiot didn't even know when she had an infatuation for a guy.

Tch.

Still, what could a _demon_ do in _human_ courting affairs?

Bah.

Dashing towards Neji's life energy as quickly as she could but she toppled over and hit the ground harshly as a more painful pulse shattered through her lower right abdomen. Groaning outwardly, and especially loudly, she got up again holding her stomach with a tight grip as it throbbed, ached and burned like hell. She whimpered and fell to the ground shuddering, face creased in pain.

The weasels surrounded her, kneading the place of her pain with their paws to try and soothe it. They didn't want their new mistress to die. She had let them share in her warmth, something that no other one who had been inhabited by the weasel demon king allowed.

'_Why is it hurting so much?_'

'**Gold is being used no doubt.**' Rokubi growled protectively, pacing in his cage. He was an enraged animal right now, dangerous, cunning, ready to kill those who threatened the only ones under his full protection. '**Get up.**'

'_Ngh…_' She gritted her teeth and wobbled against the weight of her own body, slumping against the tree like the Akimichi. '_I'm… up…_' She started panting, feeling thirsty and light headed.

'**Go to him.**'

Pausing to get her bearings as she pushed away from the tree, she quickly set up a jog. '_This is killing me, I swear._ _I'm really not that good of a ninja, am I?_' She said down to herself, feeling slightly ashamed she hadn't done as good as she should have in training being arrogant that it'd come easy when needed.

'**You just started, now shut up and go. Stop pitying yourself. He needs you.**'

The thought struck her harshly, like a blow to the brain as he pumped some lightning into her system, energizing her momentarily.

Someone needed her?

Someone actually needed _her_?

Someone needed the brash, arrogant, bitch-of-a-girl Seishou Richochet?

It was shocking to be sure, but now she knew that someone as good as Neji, the damnably hot, smirking, calm and collected genius, needed her, pushed her on.

A small warmth took over her.

Neji needed her.

It felt good to be needed.

Especially by someone she secretly respected and looked up to for being able to adapt to her irritating and stubborn ways and push her to do better.

Rokubi smiled. '_**I know her pushing buttons well.**_'

Her eyes latched onto the form of the person that she was thinking off and the lava eyes widened when he started to teeter backwards on his feet.

Skidding to a halt as Neji collapsed; she then burst in speed and dropped to her knees next to him, feeling a slash of helplessness and distress wash over her before pushing it away. He didn't need silly feminine emotions right now, he needed healing, and she was the one to do it. She didn't feel comfortable letting anyone out of the Hyuuga family take care of him.

Apart from herself of course. She was his student after all.

Ignoring the way his hair fanned out temptingly, Richochet put her hands over each of the two holes in his body, she forced her green chakra energy to comply, to think only of saving him. To be honest, with this over her head, it was simple. The chakra practically burst out all of her tenketsu to help him, duplicating its' owners' need, flowing into his body as a feather drifted down into his palm, just to be blown away as the exercise was complete and she gripped his hand.

Her hand pulled up his onto her lap as the other hand quickly checked his pulse for half a minute. Steady and calm.

Richochet let out a whoosh of air in relief, looking up at the sky as she held his hand gently.

'_Thanks, Rokubi._'

'**This time, Richochet? It was all you.**' He smirked at her in pride. '**Good one kiddo.**'

She smiled up at the sky and gave a small light laugh, happy for a little while.

The Hyuuga however was awake and gave a half tug of his mouth in a half smile half grimace, feeling a hell of a lot better than he was some moments ago. '_Thank you, Richochet. I can't believe I owe _this_ girl of all people my life…_' He felt tiredness kick in and everything went blank.

Giving a half smile, she stood up and nearly fainted. "Shit on a stick; I'm bushed…"

'**Use Rai'un no Jutsu.**'

She slowly did the three signs, ending on a tiger for concentration and sighed as the sky gave her a little cover and then electrocuted her quite viciously. Instantly it passed into healing chakra while leaving some over for her low chakra storage that rose to half way again. One more electrocution came and filled it to three quarters.

She was still tired as hell as looked at Neji but she knew she was still needed. "I'm going to go see Naruto-bro. You'll be safe in the outskirts of Konoha forest, I'm sure. One of you stay here." She ordered another of the weasels and one of the females stayed, standing guard as a new weasel once again joined her.

'_Where do they keep popping up from?!_'

'**My secret.**'

Jumping up into a tree, she started tree jumping, rather slowly. Of course, she was a newbie at it, having slipped three times in ten minutes, but heck, it was better than before when she slipped at least twenty times in half an hour when she first started her training with Neji.

As she looked up she frowned. "Hey, why's the cloud - ACK!"

'**Oh yes, fall off the tree genius, while you daydream. Brilliant.**' Rokubi snorted.

'_Shut up you. Why's the big dark grey angry lookin' cloud following me?_' She got up and continued at the tree route, feeling Naruto getting injured through the link, yet not feeling it like with Neji.

'**You can't dismiss it ever again. It's been following you since before that Hyuuga meeting. Like these weasels, it's your new companion, for safety's measure. You might as well name the two trio's that are following you.**'

'_Six? I thought there were five…?_'

'**You've officially done a jutsu of mine. Think of it as a gift… or seven. The males are the white tipped tails and are good for watching and guarding. The females are good at food hunting and can help you with survival. Both can call others, hundreds to help you; a mini army if you are surrounded and on your own. I'm covering our bases here. I won't have this body die.**' Rokubi snarled at her. '**Got it?**'

'_Yeah, stalkers for gifts, thanks._' The sarcastic reply came as she looked back at them quickly, following her easily. There were three white weasels with a black tipped tail and three black with a white tipped tail. '_Yeah I got it. Thanks. I guess six represents you? Heh, it's the number of the beast._'

'**Tch.**'

* * *

Finally finding herself in a large field her eyes widened as she saw Lee – who was supposed to be injured like heck – and some red head dude about to be speared with some dude's white coloured weapon, surrounded by tonnes of sand and huge spike of… uh, rock? And he was floating on sand too… Whoa.

Maybe she could float on _thunder clouds_ too, using her energy to stabilize the thunder in a solid form and…?

Oops, people about to die. Her bad.

Doing the three hand seals again as quickly as she had ever done, Richochet directed the bolts at the white haired male, focusing on saving Lee and the new guy. Hell, she'd trained him when he was bored once and wouldn't let it go to waste. He still had to train her in Iron Fist more. Not cause she was feeling particularly nice today either.

Nuh. Uh.

Richochet and nice didn't go in the same sentence.

"RAI'UN NO JUTSU!" She yelled and thunder sparked through his body powerfully, making him spasm with the bolts of pain. After all, it was Rokubi's very own thunder cloud enhanced with demonic energy. That's why the normally white yellow electric had a certain red shimmer to it.

"GAAAAH!" Blood splattered from his mouth, the red liquid flowing down his chin, and he flopped over in a dead faint, not moving again. Or maybe he was just dead.

Hopefully.

Richochet smirked proudly.

She was getting pretty damn good at these thunder techniques.

The weasels jumped around her happily and purring joyfully; they were glad to see their mistress was following their Lords' footsteps. Rokubi smirked at the fact Richochet still didn't care if she killed someone.

Good.

Maybe she wasn't too soft at all.

Jumping over to the two as they settled next to a tree, she landed on a branch of the tree, weasels squeaking merrily as they obediently came with her.

"Boo."

Lee jumped up in surprise. "Richochet-SAN?! You did the jutsu?"

She gave a little smirk to the green clothed boy. "Lightning just happens to be my element of choice. Who was that anyway? His body was a little too weak for thunder and he looked pretty strong, if this field is any evidence. So it's kind of odd…"

"No idea." Lee said sadly. "You kind of… killed him."

"Oh." Richochet blinked, letting it wash over her with some certain uncaring to it. "Well that's good then. I don't want you to die after helping you with my Muay Thai style."

"You're not… scared or freaked that you did kill?" He asked in confusion.

"No. I've killed plenty times before in a life or death match and that was Taijutsu only." Richochet said succinctly, not bothering to start hesitating and stuttering when it was simple. "It's a way to show someone in life that you can affect theirs. And you do so by killing them. And they'll never forget you. But it's not necessary to do it all the time when you have idiot friends like mine."

Lee looked saddened and now depressed while the other was staring at her intently.

Richochet poked him and then he yelped. She accidentaly sparked him. Rokubi's reminder of the fact that, yes, he was alive and, yes, very much forcing his existence on her. "Oops… I forgot about that. It's a, uh, an after affect…of that technique… Look… Don't worry Rock-san, just forget what I said. Just know that it was either him or you two. I simply chose for you since you both seemed out of energy so to speak."

"Thanks so much! Yosh! I'm alive!" He cheered and then whimpered before settling down. "Ow…"

Finding herself wanting to look after him about half as much as she did for Naruto, she started healing him. "I'm Seishou Richochet and with me are my lodger and my lodger's friends, the weasels." She gave him a look, knowing automatically he held a tail. "Who are you?"

"Rokubi... Ichibi. Sabaku no Gaara. Thank you for helping us." He nodded formally and frowned as he saw her start to fall asleep. "Seishou? Odd one, look, she's about to-"

Her body couldn't take the full affects of even a hundredth of Rokubi's power which she had been using for just a few little things. Pissed off at herself for not being as strong as the others, she felt light headed and dizzy once more.

She then done something she hadn't before.

Richochet fainted by chakra overexertion as she collapsed on Rock Lee's chest, the sounds of weasels squeaking and Rock Lee and Gaara making concerned sounds that were questions even though her mind was out of it by then.

* * *

Neji groggily opened his eyes, remembering the laugh of a contented person and turned his head to the side, seeing a person sitting down on a comfy chair. All around him was white and the distinct smell of aesthetics and medicine permeated his nose.

Hiashi looked at him contemplatively.

"Do you feel better?" He finally asked the teen, leaning forward to rest elbows on his knees as he drew his hands together, fingers lacing through each other. "From the looks of your clothing, those were serious wounds. You are lucky to have survived the hits with the level of blood that had poured out."

"…Ngh…" He slowly sat up, pushing his lower body back to lean his spine against the metal headboard. He gave an automatic shiver at it's coldness but overlooked it. "I feel better, just woozy."

"Woozy…?"

He flushed in embarrassment. He'd taken that word from Richochet. '_Damn girl._'

Hiashi merely smiled as the teen looked away, satisfied at what was going on. '_Hmm… She's doing him some good then._'

"Where's my student, Richochet?"

The head raised a brow at his direct question.

Neji, realising it made him sound as if he really liked her when he knew he just had a slight liking and respect for her now she healed him, blinked and changed his words.

"She healed me somehow. I know she did… At least I think she did. I just don't remember her asking to learn it from anyone. She'd usually tell me or get me to join with her when she learns something with someone such as my team mates or Hinata-sama."

"She's unconscious. Next to this room, actually." He gratified an answer for his nephew, secretly glad they were both okay. Those two were very important for keeping the bloodline strong. Richochet for her Seishou abilities and Neji for his genius at using the bloodline.

Yes, he'd have to somehow make sure they got together.

He couldn't force them to be fiancé's since they both had to be Hyuuga for him to do so. In fact since Richochet was a Seishou, she had just about as much power as him over this clan as all in his clan knew what she was now.

Apart from the fact only he knew she had the Rokubi in her.

Hiashi was fairly certain that no one else, even she herself, knew it was in her.

Yet, some knew otherwise.

* * *

Jiraiya stood in the balcony between the two rooms and nodded his head.

He knew what was going on in Hiashi's mind alright.

The white haired man then looked at the unconscious Richochet who was sparking reddish yellow electric and slowly getting colour to her pale cheeks.

He'd made a decision.

He'd try and see if Tsunade would allow him to take the girl along when he wanted to take Naruto too.

They had things in common.

So it was actually a pretty good idea, despite the fact he didn't know many lightning attacks, but it seemed for the best too. Jiraiya smiled at her form.

There were some looking out for her like Neji and himself. Not many like Naruto got, such as his team minus Sasuke and Iruka and himself and the Hokage and some others too, but some did look out for her.

Raising a hand in adieu to her unknowing form, he took off.

"Now to get me some info for my books… ehehehehehehe…"

* * *

Richochet blinked and rolled over on the bed. Waking up sucked. It meant you had to get out of that nice warm bed you've been feeding body heat to for at least five hours and having to go do whatever crap it was that had to be done. And unless you had something to look forward to, it wasn't the greatest feeling ever.

'**At least you've mastered being able to use healing chakra.**' Rokubi yawned like a contented cat. '**That means it'll be easier to heal you now. I've been using our lightning to generate a seal filled with chakra. You know the diamond on that woman's head, the Hokage? It'll be like that but stocked with lightning instead. Difference is that you can use it on others as well, if they have lightning as a familiarity like you.**'

'_Right… Like I'm gonna use it on anyone else…_'

Rokubi snorted in agreement. '**It's on the base of your spine. Just a small golden lightning bolt a centimetre high. With your tannish skin it won't be that conspicuous.**'

'_Why do you keep doing things to my body without my concurrence?_'

'**Because I can. You must meditate to expand the capacity and insert lightning that's moulded from your chakra. It'll help increase chakra control and chakra storage too. Then when it's high enough, we'll get to your manga attacks.**'

Richochet smirked and was about to fall back asleep when she noted the singular Gladiolus, the singular Crocus and the singular Freesia on her table in a vase.

'**The Freesia means Innocence and Trust and Friendship.**' Rokubi noted. '**The Gladiolus means Strength of Character and Sincerity and Generosity. The Crocus means Youthfulness and Gladness and Cheerfulness.**'

Richochet sat up and leaned against the head of the bed and picked up the notes next to each.

The first she grabbed was next to the Gladiolus flower. It had a small sign that said 'eat' on it in Kanji.

'_Dear _

_Seishou Richochet._

_I am very grateful you saved my life back in the forest. If you ever need anything, please come to the Akimichi Clan house for help. I'll do my best to help you until I feel I've repaid you!_

_Many thanks,_

_Akimichi Choji._'

The next note had a frog on it. Richochet narrowed her eyes at the small thimble sized glass of sand attached to it that dropped into her hand as she opened it.

'_Richochet-san!_

"Whoo boy… This had Lee written all over it."

_I'm eternally grateful for this! I hope your youth shines brightly in future endeavours in saving others!_

_I would like for you to join Gai-Sensei and I for training in the evening so we can both let our youthfulness shine through all of Konohagakure no Sato! I would be grateful if you would also teach us both the Muay Thai style to greater extents!_

_Thank you most sincerely!_

_Rock Lee._

Her eyes looked at the smaller, more sketchy line of writing next to the loopy ones of Lee's.

**Ichibi owes you, Rokubi. **

**Call if you need help by dropping some blood on this sand. **

**I will taste it. **

**Sabaku no Gaara**'

Richochet twitched. '_I thought I was creepy._'

The last had a circle with a teardrop in the middle. She recognized it as the Hyuuga Clan symbol immediately.

'_**I guess I have to thank you, idiot student of mine.**_' It was Neji's slanted writing for sure. '_**But you must quickly get better soon. You've a meeting with the Hokage on this Thursday. Thanks and you better like the flower I got you. The Freesia suited the situation, I believe.**_'

Richochet blinked.

"So he's made it official that we're friends, huh?"

'**Well, if he's to mate with you than of course you'd be friends.**'

"Shut up we're not going to-"

Rokubi interrupted her. '**Yes, you are. Get over it.**'

"…Damn old Weasel."

Rokubi ignored it with a short; '**Hmph. Well since you're here and doing nothing, let me tell you how it'll be like as a half demon. Let me tell you what it's like to be an alpha female demon in a weasel pack. Let me tell you more of this world's systems.**'

'_Eh?_'

Rokubi just smirked and proceeded to tell her an abundance of information.

* * *

_This was needed. At last, Sasuke pissed off._

_When it happened in the Manga it was like whoa... he actually did it? Damn! __The catch? __I knew it was gonna happen eventually. __So why the heck was I so shocked when he finally went?_

_Bah._

_Anywho... This chapter will be a 'that's gonna happen?' or a 'Huh.' or a 'whatever' in most peoples minds. Hope you enjoyed it either way! _

_Til next time and review please!_

_Ciao._

_**

* * *

**_

R.

* * *


	15. Chapter XV

I've decided to update quickly. Why? Because I kinda like this one.

**Thanks to...**

_Zero Asakura - Moogle In Paradaisu - Frozen Tempest - Devil Speaker - Nara Yingyi - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Darklight Kitsune - Hibiki-chan_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

It was actually on the Thursday that Richochet had been let out, so she only had a couple hours to have a well deserved bath, a good tasting warm meal and a clean set of clothes. The clothes being the ones she landed in this world in. Of course before she was let out people had come to bother… er _visit_ her when she was there. 

Naruto had come once in a sullen mood to tell her Sasuke hadn't come back and that he'd failed.

Richochet honestly couldn't give a damn about the deserter.

Though, Naruto's sadness did strike a cord in her, so she promised to buy him some ramen as a treat, which perked him up considerably.

Lee, oddly enough, had come mostly. Neji was there, usually a few minutes after, glaring at him until he got the hint to 'get lost' as it were. Then Neji had proceeded to lecture her about going out at night instead of being in the relative safety of the Hyuuga Complex each time as Lee gave an apologetic look to her before he left, knowing what the brooding male could be like.

So Richochet did what she did best.

She had ignored Neji of course and asked about the mission.

It made the white eyed boy twitch that she'd brush of his _concern._

If you could call it that.

More like controlling ways… But hey, it was his way of worrying so what the hell. She'd let him lecture her again and again if it meant him getting it off his chest. It rolled off of her back since she knew she was fine and that she'd do it again anyway.

Neji had once just looked at her, clenched his fists in irritation and continued to bop her on the head for disregarding him and his judicious 'words of wisdom'.

Richochet had glared at him but then smirked and repeated exactly everything he told her from memory. He'd said it enough times for her to repeat backwards as well as forwards.

The Hyuuga had stared at her until she was finished and then hit her on the head again – in the exact same place he always did, no less - for back-chatting her teacher. Then he sighed turned the Byakugan on, turned it off, sat next to her on the bed much to her bemusement and rubbed her Weasel Sweet Spot until she fell asleep with her head on his lap from the warm sensations it elicited, internally cursing that damned spot while also rejoicing that she had it.

Yep.

All was well in her world.

Then she had strolled on over to Hokage tower, knowing Mizu was already there from her Kazangan that seemed to increase now she'd been perpetually exhausted from her chakra supply and having used too much demonic energy her chakra veins could use.

Tsunade leaned back, looking at the two girls. "Well, I do believe it's time to see what you can do. If you're good enough, you could be a three man cell with another recruit and become Team Thirteen."

'**Brilliant number.**' He snickered.

'_It's my lucky number. That and six as well as one._'

Richochet cocked her head to the side, whiskers on her right cheek raised to the ceiling, black hair pulled back into it's now usual ponytail. Having not cut it since she got here, it had steadily reached to her waist, and she was seriously contemplating hacking it off to a style similar to Naruto's own.

Or maybe not that short; neck length maybe or maybe a wild Hinata style one, but a touch longer.

Yeah, that'll do.

Except for those odd bangs Hinata had. Those were kinda weird. She should grow them out.

Plus her hair naturally waved when long and spiked out when cut short, so it's be difficult to maintain.

Stupid crazy-arse hair.

'**That's so…**'

'…_Vain? Narcissistic?_'

'…**Girly.**'

'_Thanks for that reminder of my gender. It's not as if I was _confused_ or anything…_' She replied sarcastically.

Tsunade pulled out two headbands. The metal glinted on a green piece of strong fabric and an orange reddish piece of strong fabric. Richochet eyed the orange one, not because of the colour seeing as she couldn't see the colour unless it was energy or heat, but because the fabric was inlayed with some well known energy.

Red energy mixed with green energy.

Demonic chakra and healing chakra.

Odd.

The other one had the same amount of energy, but it was simple blue attacking chakra and Mizu seemed unsure of which to choose.

'**Take that one when given the chance. I see **_**her**_** looking at it also.**' The weasel meant Mizu, standing next to her, radiating charisma and beauty as usual, pissing her off without even doing anything but be there. '**Even if she doesn't seem as though she doesn't know which to choose, she wants what's rightfully yours.**'

"Hmm…" Richochet closed her eyes, letting the bulbs of blue signifying their tenketsu warm her up. It's not as though she could see the outline of them, like the Byakugan. No, not that. It's like when you look up into a light bulb for a few seconds and see the flashes of light in your eyes when you close them. But then think of warmth instead of that ache you get and that's what she felt. It was the simplest way to describe it.

She suddenly felt many life forms gather outside the windows, but paid no head. They were familiar.

'**You're supposed to be a dumb little wannabe ninja. Not smart and no tracking ability's what-so-ever.**' He snickered.

Naruto sighed at the fact his fun was ruined. '_You mean you know we're here already?! Aww…_'

'**Bloodlines are a beautiful thing.**'

'**DEMONS WITH LINKS LIKE US KNOW WHERE EACH OTHER IS ANYWAY.**' Kyuubi put in helpfully.

'_I'm stuck with him forever?_'

'_Ya don't have to say it like that y'know…_' Naruto huffed.

'_I suppose you aren't bad. You keep me entertained with your stupidity._' Richochet snickered.

'_Stop insulting me and complimenting me at the same time! It's confuuuuuuusing! Dattebayo!_'

Tsunade leaned back. This was a secret test to the actual test. "All you need to do is make three other bunshins passably, and do a successful Kawarimi. Then there will be a basic exam. Questions?"

"Do we have to go into a three man cell?" Richochet spoke up. "I still believe Neji to be my teacher and no one else."

"That inflexibility won't make you a good ninja." Tsunade frowned.

"It's loyalty. I only trust Neji, Naruto and Hinata in this world. Maybe Lee, this perverted guy somewhat, and Tenten also. Anyone else can go screw themselves."

"Really?" Mizu's eyes widened in disbelief. "What about me?"

Richochet just looked at her sideways, uncaring. "What _about_ you? You're an irritation I just put up with."

Mizu pouted. "Oh you don't mean that!" Richochet's eyebrow twitched and she crossed her arms. Why did she always get the feeling just to rip her spleen out? It was an unsettling satisfying thought. "I trust Sakura and Shikamaru, Ino and Choji and Kiba and Shino and Hinata and Tsunade-sama and Shizune-sama and-"

"Shut up. I don't need to hear this." Richochet scrunched her nose. "Next you'll be telling me your crushes on these poor souls."

"Oh! Kakashi-sensei is so hot! And so is Genma-san and Iruka-sensei! I admire Gai-sensei for his brilliance in Taijutsu above them all!" Mizu sighed dreamily.

Her eyebrow twitched in irritation again. '_I'm so using these people to trick her and make her cry someday._' Richochet smirked mentally while rolling her eyes in disgust on the outside. '_I'm such a great person._'

'**Cruel bitch is more like it. I love your devious mind, pet.**' Rokubi sighed in happiness.

'_Thank you._'

"Richochet, up first. Bunshin, of any kind."

'**Make sure to hide your power by using the simplest bunshin instead of lightning bunshin like I've been teaching you.**' The demon warned in her head.

'_Like I'm even able to use it yet…_'

'**Of **_**course**_** you are. It's exactly the same through the dream world to the active world. Silly human.**'

'_Oh._'

Tiger symbol in place, she did the simple trick lazily. "Bunshin no jutsu." Three poofs exploded around her in bluish somewhat reddish tinged chakra. She nodded to herself, knowing she could hold this for quite the while.

Tsunade smiled and threw a shuriken lazily as Richochet quickly understood. She had to perform and complete the Kawarimi before it was hit. Hands going at high speed, the bunshin exploded after finishing the technique with time to spare. She quickly did another set of seals when two more shuriken were thrown, the first exploding into a small pen.

The next two quickly transformed into spare pieces of paper that hadn't been used yet when hit with shuriken.

"Good. Ninjutsu is at the basic level. Chakra is used well enough. Signs are good too…" Tsunade noted out loud, somewhat quietly. She picked up a piece of paper and waved a hand to the pen on the ground. "The exam to fill in."

Richochet swept down to gather the pen but she frowned and leaped back, taking Mizu with her, while going the opposite direction once she touched down, wary of the other two leftovers brashly exploding in her face. It exploded violently and the other two followed, but Richochet had made sure they were both fine as she let the girl go. "Stay behind me while I make sure its still trick free."

Tsunade smirked. "You show good protective and leadership skills. However…"

"I know." Richochet smirked back and shoved Mizu forward. "This isn't Mizu. It's your personal assistant, Shizune."

Tsunade felt a flash off surprise run through her as her eyes widened slightly and her brows raised up and down quickly. "Yes."

"You switched Mizu's place with one of your own secretaries." Richochet cocked her head to the side. "I was warned of something like this happening. You ninja are tricky."

'**Liar. You're just that cunning yourself. Yet it is a good save.**'

'_I only know because I realised she was trying to trick me from the start with those headbands._'

"Really?"

"Hm. I get my information."

Tsunade smiled warmly. "You passed. Congratulations Genin." It was odd how the first person she passed as a Genin would be this one.

She wondered if it meant something.

Richochet looked out the window and frowned at who she saw. Her face fell into an exasperated look. The rookie nine… make that _eight_, Team Gai and Kakashi and Gai were there. They all waved at her sheepishly, happily, lazily or energetically.

You can guess who did what, ne?

With a smirk on her face, completely amused, she gave a two fingered salute with her right hand. Taking out a disposable camera she stole from Sakura and Naruto, she snapped three times. Giving them a wink, she put the camera into the hip pouch with her blades. Turning back to Tsunade, she ignored the laughter coming from her.

Time to choose a head band.

She couldn't refuse the demon powered one.

Rokubi snapped his head up. '**Wait. It's a summoning on the back of it. That's the energies explained. Yet what summon? Wait… It's… one you need… weasel summoning… There's another one but… That bog minded, big mouthed, **_**super**_** pervert better not have blabbed.**' Rokubi growled, thinking of Jiraiya, mentally ripping him to shreds.

Picking it up, she looked on the inside of it and touched the kanji. "Bloody this – it's a gift from, I, Jiraiya, author extraordinaire. Damn this guy has an ego. Give the other to that cutie Naruto." She shuddered as Naruto jumped in, grabbed her and swung her around happily yelling things like. 'You're just like me now!' - And - 'We can go on missions together and save each other butts!' It was kinda cute.

Except she was feeling a liiiiiitle bit ticked off and ill.

"Lemme go… Yo!"

He put her down sheepishly. "So moooooody…"

"Tch."

Naruto peered over her shoulder.

"Ne, ne, what's this? Hey! I'm not cute that ewwy man!"

The lava eyed girl snickered. "This'll be done later, but for now." She tied it around her forehead and looked to Naruto giving a grin of satisfaction instead of a smirk. "How's it look?"

Neji put a hand on her shoulder and she peered at him. "Like you're an honourable nin of Konohagakure no Sato. Well done." He squeezed her shoulder and gave her a half smile.

For Richochet, that was the greatest praise.

Slowly, the demon infested Richochet gave a soft smile back feeling a grand sense of pride fill her and warm her up, making him stare though she didn't understand why. "Glad you approve…" She then gave a smirk that never failed to rile his blood and try and peg her down a few levels. "…Oh bop-head master."

"I'll ignore this just this once, Seish-"

Flash!

Idiot fox had yoinked the camera when she was talking with her 'once a year I'll be somewhat nice' teacher.

"Why are our eyes so damn sensitive to this crap?" She muttered.

Neji just grunted. "Chakra levels in different body parts are different for different clans."

"Too many 'different's' can't be healthy…."

Naruto beamed at her when she looked at him.

Her eyes narrowed.

He smiled wider, eyes mischievously closing in that stupidly obnoxious grin look. "Thanks for it back RIIIICHOOOOCHEEEEEEET!!!" He burst away, laughing manically as Richochet run after him yelling obscenities, demanding he give it back, the odd emotions these people made her feel making her slightly out of character simply because she had no idea with how to deal with them.

Well, them's the brakes. She'd just learn in time.

After, all, like she'd said before, she was people stupid.

Thanks to Naruto though, the laid-back, hot-headed – contradictory or what? - yet arrogant Richochet was learning to not be so mean and cut some slack to all.

Some, anyways.

* * *

. 

Naruto sat on the bed next to her staring with wide eyes at the headband a couple days later after she finally convinced Neji, that, no, Naruto wasn't going to start something or ruin the place, and yes, she'd keep Hinata away to keep the heir from passing out and him away from Neji when he was training.

The crème colour of the covers went oddly well with the orange, smoothing it down a little.

Kind of odd how things like that went unnoticed.

Not that Richochet noted it, she couldn't see any colours but red, white, black and grey and the different types of coloured chakra around people. "Bloody this? Man that sounds disgusting, 'ttebayo!"

"Mm." She nodded in agreement absently.

"What is it then?" He poked her shoulder, wanting her to hurry it up.

Giving him a look, she then rolled her eyes and turned the headband over a few times. "It's a summoning jutsu for me from that Ero-sennin and also a scroll for you too."

"NE? REALLY? DATTEBAYOOO!"

"…Uh-huh."

Taking a finger and placing it in her hip pouch, she quickly sliced the thumb from a sharp blade and put it on the band.

A few seconds and a poof later two scrolls appeared. They were both large and held by two animals. One was the familiar Kamatari weasel with the scythe sickle in its hold on the back, snickering cunningly, while the fox was a light white and also snickering, two sai's in their holds' on its back.

"Lady Richochet!" The weasel jumped up with the white fox onto the bed and they tossed the scrolls into their masters' laps. "This is for you! That damn Jiraiya finally parted with these." Kamatari grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

Richochet blinked. She didn't know weasels had thumbs. This world was damn screwy.

The white fox bowed to Naruto gracefully. "This one is called Hoshimaru. We wish to offer our services to our Lord Naruto."

'**Let us get on with it.**' Rokubi nodded in appreciation. With a flourish, Richochet flicked the scroll open and was surprised to see only one person had signed it. Sabaku Temari. '**The weasels aren't trusting. Those they do trust will be put amongst them as if true family. Yet, they think of themselves as my slaves. Just like all other animals to their demon counterparts. If this girls uses them against you they won't adhere to her demands.**'

'**THE SAME FOR YOU, NARUTO.**' Kyuubi added in. '**THEY WILL THINK OF YOU BOTH AS THEIR LORDS WITH UNFALTERING OBEDIENCE.**'

'_I already have a summon, dattebayo!_'

'**IT MATTERS NOT.**'

'**Richochet. You see that tattoo on your leg? It can be used as a way to summon quickly. That snake charmer Orochimaru has one on his wrist. KAMATARI! Use your scythe and right down the kanji for weasels along the sixth tail.**'

'_Y_es, my lord, as you order. _P_lease hold still, my lady. _I_t won't take long.' Kamatari gave a crazy grin, making Richochet shuffle away a bit. '_N_ow, now, Lady Richochet…'

'**BOTH OF YOU MUST WRITE YOUR NAMES. HOSHIMARU, YOU WILL CREATE A TATTOO ON NARUTO'S HIP OF A FOX WITH NINE TAILS LIKE RICHOCHET'S WEASEL ON HER THIGH. IN THAT ODD STYLE.**'

'_Tribal style._' Richochet winced as several scraped were made on her skin next to her tattoo and she cut her thumb open a little wider with her teeth and started to write like Naruto was doing. This was absolutely crazy. Animal were drawing on her and Naruto painfully as they wrote in their blood.

Could anyone say 'savagery' please?

The two wondered why they put up with these things.

'_I blame the demons._'

'_I'm so with you. Can't actually believe I'm saying that about you._' Richochet smirked and teased him. '_You're usually such a loser._'

"HEY! I'M NOT A LOSER!" Naruto scowled at her as they finished writing their names. He took note of her name. "Wait, you're name is Seishou Shukumei Toko? Didn't you have a sister called Shoko? Shoko and Toko? Awww! HEY! _Toko's_ a boys' name! Bwuahahahaha!"

"Fuck you, man! Don't take the piss out of my name!"

"I though you're name was Richochet, dattebayo?"

"It is."

"But…?"

"It's a ring name. A name I'm known as. Like the style name Godaime Hokage for old lady Tsunade. Your name is…" Naruto didn't have the chance to take it away as she caught a peek. "…whirlpool of _fluttering_ …**steamed fish-paste cake? Uzumaki Tokimeku Naruto?**"

"…Don't say a word."

"Then don't take the piss outta my name."

"But it's a GUYS name!"

"You think I _don't_ know that?!"

Naruto burst out laughing again at her agitated state.

Her eyebrow twitched. "Shut the fuck up, idiot!" She pushed him off the bed.

The two animals shrugged at each other and poofed away, leaving only the scrolls behind.

"I can't believe it! TOKO!"

"THAT'S IT!!" She tackled him to the ground and they started wrestling playfully. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH MY NAME?!"

'**Toko… It means endless, right? And Shukumei means fate? Her whole name means something as corny as 'fate of endless feeling'? It sounds as though her grandfather had a fetish for romantic fairytale names. Shoko's name was 'story of fantasy feelings' being Shoko Mugen Seishou…**' Rokubi asked Kyuubi as the two started getting more ninja like in their playful wrestling, drawing attention. He quickly used some of his demon energy and made the scrolls disappear.

The door opened and Hinata and Neji watched in confusion and amusement.

'**YES. I FIND IT SUITABLE ENOUGH.**' Kyuubi growled back. '**JUST LIKE THE DEMONS EYES THEY BOTH HAVE. ENDLESS TO LOOK IN TO.**'

By the time Richochet and Naruto realised there were others in the doorway, seeing as Hinata coughed loudly, – Richochet and Naruto had also ignored the warning bells to focus on each other and their fun little fight – they had ended up in an odd position.

Naruto was laying on his stomach, Richochet's right arm around his neck in a neck lock, pulling the hair she could grip at and her left ear was getting bitten by his teeth. She was sitting on his back, the other arm gripping his right foot that had come up to kick her while Naruto was holding onto her left ankle in a vice grip.

Looking up at them, they noted Neji's less than pleased look and slowly let go of each over. Richochet slid off his back and sat down next to him in a cross legged position while Naruto copied, knees brushing.

"I can't trust you two to be anywhere without starting something, can I?" Neji stated, arms crossed.

"Well, you can, but this time, it was this runt who started it." Richochet poked a thumb to her right, pointing at the fox holder.

"I did not!"

"Don't be stupid. You mocked me."

"You called me a loser!"

Richochet glowered at Naruto while he gave her a beaming smile.

"You deserved it. Loser."

"I did not!" He reiterated, flicking her still held up thumb but missed as she pulled her hand out of the way. "And you so started it."

Richochet shrugged and tied on her headband, all signs of blood gone, and crossed her arms with calm control. "True. I was bored." A small smirk crawled up her lips. "And you're just too easy."

"Gah! TOKO!"

Richochet snapped her head to him. She was about to shout at him but thought otherwise. "Who's Toko?"

"You!"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you!"

"Oh yeah?"

"YEAH!"

"Prove it."

Naruto grinned proudly and was about to pick up the scroll but then blinked in confusion. It wasn't there. Nor was his. He snapped his head to Richochet and took in her large smirk with a dropped jaw.

"You sooo hid them, dattebayo!"

"I did not." Richochet sat on her bed and looked at Hinata, completely ignoring the raging blonde. "Hey, Hinata, how's it going?"

Hinata smiled uneasily, looking at her crush from the corner of her eye.

"I-I'm f-fine."

"Don't ignore me, 'ttebayo!" Naruto went red as she ignored him, smiling up at Hinata as if the blond wasn't about to smack her one. "YOU _SERIOUSLY_ SUCK!" He pointed at his best friend and huffed, flopping to the ground and scowling slash pouting at the ground.

"Like I said, you're just easy."

Neji rolled his eyes and massaged his temples. And he had to put up with this for the past couple months too. He felt himself lucky he hadn't had a nervous break down yet by just Richochet messing around and now having Naruto as a more than regular guest, which pissed him off for some odd reason, his headaches would get worse.

Ha. He'd just use Richochet's inbuilt massager to calm him down. Her purring would definitely help.

Richochet held her heart necklace and gripped the ending of it, softly touching her fur with the other hand. It was actually her own fur, growing out of her due to Rokubi being inside her. It was like liquid silk to the touch and calmed her down from her hyped up 'tease Naruto till he goes totally red all over' state she was in.

The heart was pulsing a soft healthy green and warm red. She was happy and content.

Life around here, was pretty good.

"Richochet. Training. Now."

Well, good enough.

* * *

. 

Thirty minutes later, having started off by making sure Richochet knew the basics to the style, Neji decided to up the Gentle Fist training by adding chakra into it, but he soon found a problem.

Neji frowned, as she went to hit him with a chakra loaded palm. "You need better control over your chakra." He grabbed her wrist and tugged her down with him. They sat down somewhat awkwardly as he put her hand into his lap, facing upwards. "You have it in your palm."

"What's wrong with that?" Richochet frowned and tried to ignore the fact his upper thighs were brushing her fingers. _And_ he didn't seem to notice either. Good, because her face was a liiiitle bit more than warm. And she didn't even know why she was feeling embarrassed.

"See, you have some chakra stored _only _in the middle of your hand and palm." His Byakugan were on now, staring at her hand. "You need it to spread to the fingers and wrist." He noted that her chakra veins were amazingly large and thick. Nearly as large as Naruto's when he called upon that demonic chakra during their fight.

He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

Was Richochet a Jinchuuriki like Naruto?

She cocked her head to the side and closed her eyes. Her own energy was cocooned in the middle of her hand, ready to do damage. "Why? Won't that waste chakra?"

Turning his unneeded Kekkai Genkai off, he replied. "If you don't hit on target, then you have an extra chance to touch the tenketsu with a quick twist of the wrist." Neji explained further, understanding why she didn't want to put it into the rest of the hand. "Do you have enough chakra?"

Seeing him about to put Byakugan on – his eyebrows twitched before he did so - and remembering that Rokubi didn't want her to have anyone else but the other demon holders know who she was, she quickly gave a smirk and took her hand away from his lap and other hand. "Of course." She smoothly charged some chakra into the hand, letting the energy fill it up.

Neji let an eyebrow rise at her unusually quick reply.

Usually, this lazy girl would just make him do all the work.

"Hmmm…"

He was about eighty percent sure she was a Jinchuuriki now.

"Well…" Richochet said, unable to think of what next to say to get them off this line of topic. "Let's go again then." She stood up promptly and stared at her palm while Neji rose up more fluidly than she had done. '_He really is girly._'

'**No, just a master at the Gentle Fist.**'

'_Meh._'

Just as she was about to start, having gotten into positions with hands palm up and about to go at a run to him and try and pound him one without getting knocked back down on her arse, there was a chorus of voices.

"GOOD AFTERNOON YOUTHFUL ONES!!"

The two looked up at the trio who stood on the wall, going out of their positions. Richochet gave a smirk and a little wave as Neji just crossed his arms and glared at the three for interrupting his training time for both himself and Richochet.

While Neji's student was learning of the family style, he was learning about her different moods and habits during each mood and trying to unscramble the puzzles to sort out the best way to make her happy again. When she got into a bad mood she got stubborn and that really didn't help him as she screwed up when training.

Not because he liked her, of course.

Yeah…

Right now though, he honestly couldn't figure out what she was hiding and it irked him badly. He hated when she kept things secret, like how she became such _close_ friends with that baka, Uzumaki. It pissed him off that, even when she didn't mean to tick him off by doing things he didn't like, she still found a way to annoy him. This time it was by hanging out with the person who beat him in a fair fight because of his own set mind.

Yep, we're still on that line of Uzumaki Naruto.

Tenten quickly analysed the situation, taking in Neji's odd mood and Richochet somewhat uncomfortable laidback-ness. Wondering what happened, she gave a warm smile.

"Well, my other youthful student and his own student! WE HAVE A MISSION!" Gai put hands to hips and grinned, flashing off white sparkling teeth that glinted in the light.

"Yosh! Let our youthful selves take this mission and firmly grasp it by the hands to easily complete it!"

"Lee! That thought style you have is brilliant!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Richochet's eyes widened again. That sun and waves had come back! It had to be genjutsu!

'**It's not.**'

Richochet let her jaw open in shock before pulling herself together. '_Then what the fuck is it? It's creepier than my eyes!_' She demanded.

'**I have absolutely no idea.**' Rokubi growled back to her, annoyed something like this couldn't be solved by a demon such as him. '**I think it best to pay no attention to these sorts of things.**'

Richochet closed her eyes and sighed. '_This is so weird._'

'_Jeeze…_' Tenten gave the pair an exasperated look. '_Why do I put up with this?_'

Neji rolled his eyes. '_Hurry up and get it over with already. There are just not enough hours in the day to do these things as well as train._'

"Ah, Lee, my precious student. My heart weeps every time!" Gai declared to the world, eyes watering emotionally.

"Look, you're kind of cutting into my time with getting taught, here. Can you, say, hurry up with this or bugger off?" Richochet asked as nicely as she could.

Well, nicely for her.

"A-hem. We need to take Neji with us on a mission." The sensei coughed. "Though, you could come. I'm sure the Hokage would permit it."

Richochet looked up, thinking. She could go on her first mission, but she really would rather train and get this style's basics down along with the chakra. "No thanks, next time, maybe. I need to train before I can be of any use. I'll go find Hinata."

"Sorry!" Lee shook his head. "She's gone with Naruto-kun and Shino-kun to help find some sort of bug."

"…" Richochet gave a disbelieving look and then let it go off her face. "You people have _the_ weirdest missions in Konoha, don't you?"

Tenten smiled and nodded. "It can't be helped. Oh, and Tsunade-sama wants to see you."

"Eh?"

* * *

. 

Richochet blinked at the Hokage, wondering why she was called up for the second time this week. However, it seemed that this old woman just wanted to _chat_… even though Jiraiya was over there watching and she could've talk to him instead.

"What is it you actually want to aspire to be, Richochet? A medic-nin? Anbu Captain?"

Richochet raised a brow. "I don't think planning the actual road you go on matters. Things happen. Heck, I came here didn't I? If I wasn't here, I'd be doing something like Law in college and becoming a lawyer in the court. Or maybe an ambassador, that sounded interesting."

"True, yet since you are a ninja, what would your preferred path be?"

Richochet leaned back in her chair and looked up. Her distraction in the convo obviously didn't work with them. "I guess I'd do whatever… he wants to do… of course, there can't be two of us… but I wanna look after him. What's the quickest path to being a Hokage?"

Tsunade looked up from her work with surprised eyes. "You want to be Hokage?!"

"No. I just want to look after Naruto. So, if Naruto went up to jounin and then Anbu would he be a step closer to Hokage if he was that rather than a hunter-nin or a medic-nin?" Richochet questioned.

"It's the easier approach, but I myself was a medic-nin leader and I am Hokage." Tsunade pointed out. "Why do you look after him? Why do you _want_ to look after him?"

"We're more alike than you know." She snickered and Jiraiya coughed. "Both of us haven't had many people that like us let alone care for us. So I want to look after him. While Naruto couldn't deal with it, I could. I had a purpose in my life as a child and Naruto didn't, so he did stuff to make up for not having any sense of direction. Plus… not only that… He's amazing."

Tsunade stared at her as she closed her eyes and then looked at Jiraiya who gave a warm smile back. Tsunade gave a questioning look to him but Jiraiya just shrugged with a funny little smile.

"He can make anyone smile. He can give people hope and give them a purpose in life."

"You say purpose a lot." Jiraiya spoke up for once.

"If you had nothing to do, nothing to live for…" Richochet stared with hollow eyes at the calm hazel of her Hokage's. "…What would it be like to live? Empty. Having nothing to do, feeling worthless, just living life everyday like a lifeless shell. You need something to hold on to. It's human nature to need it. Hell, my therapist told me that enough times."

"You have a therapist." Tsunade stated, raising a brow.

This was getting pretty interesting.

Who knew she was so… odd?

"Yeah, I'm crazy. I have problems. I lost my purpose." Richochet let out a sigh. "I bet that if there was no Hokage status, Naruto would feel the same. Utterly lost."

"…What was your purpose?"

"…" Richochet stilled. "…To protect my twin sister, Shoko."

"I assume she's dead?" Tsunade asked softly. Having your twin sister die must be a blow, to see a body in a coffin look like you... She took out some extra paper and started writing up what Richochet was saying.

"Suicide."

The room stilled and silence prevailed.

"I have a hatred of coffins. I also hate looking into mirrors. I don't like making bunshins either. I guess you could call them 'phobia's' though. I brought it upon myself, I wanted to see how far my innocent, never do bad, kind sister could go. I drove her crazy because of what I did. I couldn't help it though; grandfather pretty much pushed me to do the things that made her nuts."

"Go on."

"We lived with our grandfather and she always sucked up to him, disliking the fact that our mother was… dead… and our father was no where to be seen, travelling the world. I hated seeing myself, with the same looks and movements and voice just suck up to him."

Richochet frowned and cocked her head to the side. Tsunade was easier to talk to than her idiotic therapist. "I couldn't understand how someone so alike to me would just do something so… weak. It drove me mad to hear her whimpering all the time to him and he knew it. Also, I hated my grandfather. He only loved money and fame. He used me to get that, and in turn it made my Shoko ill in the mind and then she committed suicide when I was eleven, but at that time, it seemed I was a hundred and eleven."

"How'd he use you?" Jiraiya questioned, not picking up anything that told him what she did. He hoped it wasn't using her body in _that_ way to perverts.

"Back when I lived in England, half way across the world from Tokyo, there used to be an illegal underground community. Drugs, booze, cars, weapons, women. The works basically. Then you had…" Richochet ran a hand over her face, staring hard at the table afterwards. This bit was hard as it involved her directly. "…The Arena."

She wasn't sure how they would think of her enjoying killing these people, so she decided just to go over that bit quick. She couldn't help but feel enjoyment over knowing that she did affect the world around her. She wanted acknowledgement, and that was the only way to get it. _At that time._ This time, she could successfully have acknowledgement from several people – Hyuuga's, Naruto, etc. - and never have to kill.

If they didn't acknowledge her though…

…Then back to the old ways.

But how to use them and keep them at the same time?

Tsunade stilled and put her elbows on her table, crossing her fingers together and hiding her mouth behind them.

"You'd be against an opponent. You fought. You'd kill them. Or they killed you. Simple. I was there for close to about… six years just fighting. It was _really_ enjoyable. No one could kill me. For some reason, I, a simple little girl was some kind of advanced… freak. I could kill them quite easily." Richochet said plainly. "It was figured out these past two months that I originally came from here and that was why I could kill them. My family was dying out here, so we went to Earth, via jutsu."

"You figured something like that out?"

"The Uchiha Kekkai Genkai is supposed to come from Hyuuga blood. The Byakugan comes from Seishou blood. My family's blood. Hiashi has a few scrolls on us. On Seishou."

"Amazing… what jutsu is this?"

"They don't say."

In fact, Richochet knew why.

'**They made a deal with Shinigami-sama. For them to still live on with their riches and with family, they would allow one of their children to hold the demon Rokubi, who had just died, and keep me happy. And watching you bathe in blood I was more than happy. However, they didn't know they'd forget their life of ninja's.**'

'_Sneaky guy that Shinigami, huh?_' Richochet thought with a quirk of her lips.

'**Indeed.**'

'_Thanks for telling me that by the way._'

She looked at the window and saw six pairs of eyes watching her. Her weasels hadn't stopped hiding and following, though they did sometimes split up to get food for them all. Other than that, they slept with her in the bed, or sometimes she went out to sleep with them in their tree. Then her eyes went upwards, that cloud was there, hovering forward and backwards around the building.

'_That thing is irritating. It's like a HERE I AM!! YEAH HERE!! COME AND GEET ME AND MY DEMON!! Type thing that's really pissing me off._' The girl muttered in her mind, completely forgetting she was just talking about her life.

Her mind suddenly came up with a question.

"Are you going to make me leave the Hyuuga estate now I'm Genin and can be paid?" Richochet asked, looking back at her.

"It's now up to them. Though I'd save your money. And not use it on lemon pops." She hid a smile at the child's caught look. "You're love for those are becoming very well known. Like Naruto and his-"

"-Ramen." Jiraiya and Richochet finished off for her dryly. Richochet gave a look of amusement to him over her shoulder, somewhat arrogant as usual as she gave half smirk, then she just lost the smirk and looked blankly at the Hokage as she had done.

Only a few people could bring her to 'life' as it were. Most of the time she couldn't be bothered and was an arrogant laid back piece of lazy crap though other people could rouse her to be more lively. Like Naruto and Neji.

"Yeah, give me a lemon pop and I'll be content." Richochet quickly changed the subject, a little embarrassed that people knew a kind of weakness she had. "So what is it you wanted me for anyway?"

Jiraiya spoke up, funnily enough.

"I got a mission for you, kid."

"_You_, old man?" Richochet cocked her head. "A mission?" She smirked. "Bring it on."

"Training. One Week. You and me. I train you and that's all." Jiraiya grinned back then he spoke a little more. "Oh, and we travel as well. I'll be paying, so don't worry. Though if you wanna grab some money, go right on ahead."

Richochet cocked her head to the side. "You want to train me."

"Yes."

"Wouldn't you prefer to train Naruto?"

"Think of this as a test." Jiraiya shrugged genially. "And it's only training." He said innocently, brushing some imaginary dust from his clothes. "So, what do you say?"

"…"

'_The good side is that I'll be learning more stuff. I need to get stronger to get up to level with the other rookies nine… eight._'

'**You'll also need to see the outside world and what you would like to do and where you would like to live when you're older.**'

"Alright then. You have to teach me three jutsu's I don't know though."

"Done."

* * *

Bows Head. I'm sorry for the slight angst! It was needed in my mind! Especially for clearing up the whole Hyuuga-Seishou link!

Don't you agree?

Don't worry though, that's going to be the last bit of boo-hoo-ness from her for now. That's for sure.

At last, Richochet is a Genin. We won't have the whole genin initiation test thing though.

Review and tell me what you liked please!

* * *

**R.**


	16. Chapter XVI

**I heart...**

_Frozen Tempest - Hibiki-chan - Zero Asakura - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Silver Mononoke - Neko of Light - Ugly.Beautiful_

Here's the chapter...

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

* * *

Neji wasn't a happy bunny.

"Without me? For a week?" He asked as if in disbelief. "There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight for that long. You'd end up _mauling_ someone."

Richochet raised a brow as she packed some extra clothes in a bag Naruto let her borrow. "I'm going, Neji-sensei. I know you're worried-"

"I'm not _worried_, Ri-cho-chet." Neji lengthened her name, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm feeling pity for that Jiraiya actually… You're an impossible student to have. And you can get hurt." He stressed out, drilling her with narrowed eyes.

'**Protective or what? God, it's not like I've never been hurt and I won't be back… Then again he is a Hyuuga and they're overprotective of their own…**'

Richochet sighed and grabbed the two bottles of water Hinata had kindly prepared for her, putting them skilfully in the small space left. Mentally thanking the child, Richochet turned to him and gave her own imitation of crossing her arms at him.

"Isn't this why you've been training me? To be well prepared?"

"_Yes_ but-" Neji was cut off.

"No way is there any buts to this!" Richochet huffed and flung her arms up, starting to pace.

It was really starting to piss her off now.

He'd been going on about this ever since she got back last night and the only time she had escaped him was when she went to bed and slept. Even when she woke up and got dressed, he was there while she tugged on her shorts and clothing, uncaring of her non-existent modesty.

"You're not ready yet." Neji said, wondering why the hell he was so adamant about it, but reasoned it was just he didn't want his first ever student to go on her first ever mission without him looking over her. He actually liked this one. She'd actually become a person close enough to want to warrant more of his attention to. Amazingly enough as it was since he made sure not to get to close to anyone. Not to say he didn't like anyone, he was just looking after number one was all.

Richochet raised an eyebrow and gave a mocking smirk. "Then when _will_ I be ready, oh great sensei? When I'm grey and decrepit?" She scoffed. "I don't think so."

"You're too arrogant! You'll scoff and sneer thinking the mission below you and you'll get hurt! I _know_ you well enough that you'd do something like that." Neji argued, wanting her to see that she should stay for a little longer and train a bit more so he knew she'd be fine. Though right now, he knew perfectly well she'd be able to protect herself from Non-Nin and maybe some lower Nin, but what about B-Class-Nin and above?

She rolled her shoulders, trying to push off the unease of how well he really did know her. She kind of did think most things below her, but it was usually because it didn't involve her. Like the whole Uchiha incident. She didn't give a damn about him. Let him go. She herself only stayed because of several people that were… _important_ almost to her. And she kept near those few things important to her.

"Maybe I have a_ reason_ to do that!" Richochet grabbed her bag and tossed a strap over one shoulder but scowled at him as he grabbed the said green strap, not that she knew what colour it was. Being colour blind was good sometimes; it meant she didn't have to look at walking fashion disasters like Naruto's colours. Bleurgh.

"But you don't."

If only she could just spit it out and say: '_I have a FUCKIN' DEMON ALREADY! HOW IS THAT NOT A REASON TO BE A COCKY SON OF A GUN?!_'

But she couldn't yell it to him.

Not yet.

'**You will sometime.**'

'_Ugh… Tell me about it…_'

'**Ah… maybe later, you're in an argument here.**'

"I'm _going,_ Neji." She replied stubbornly. "Everyone's gotta start somewhere."

Neji felt like shaking her. He didn't want her to go. Why couldn't she see that? She was right though. He let go of the bag's strap and she tugged the other one on. It was over her baggy jumper looking really small against the dark red. She had on a shuriken and kunai holster and also that hip pouch with her blades.

His eyes narrowed at her hands. They had red slice marks that were in between each of her knuckles. "Stay here for a moment."

Richochet blinked at him as he turned around and walked out. Had she won?

'**Yep, for a few moments now. Make sure you have everything.**'

'_Clothes, sanitary items, bottles of water, some money Neji had given me before, weapons-_' She patted her hip and her holsters and heard the tell tale clinking of the metal. '_Uh, some spare scrolls and inks. My weasel companions are outside, and so is the stalking thundercloud. Um, me. What the hell else?_'

'…**Not much else, but it'd be handy if-**'

"Here."

A pair of sturdy black fingerless gloves was there, sitting in his hand contently, white-blue lightning weasel tribal designs racing up to her wrist from the knuckles, looking oddly evil. The pieces of metal on the fingers and back of the hand were slightly scratched as she remembered them.

"Hey… I though you threw them out or something." Richochet raised a brow at him and gave a small smirk in amusement. "Wouldn't put it past you with the amount of times I've pissed you off."

"Trust me, I thought of it many times before." Neji said dryly, watching in boredom as she took them, tugging them on tightly and stretching her hand by clenching and unclenching them.

"Heh." Richochet smirked and then took out six blades, inserting them properly. She took a few steps back and jumped on the bed. They hummed happily as she started adding chakra to them, quickly beginning a few kicks and punches, Muay Thai style.

Quickly driving an elbow through an imaginary opponent, she then swiped out with a right clawed hand and accidentally released some chakra, tearing up a spare scroll into three parts as three blades of chakra shot out at lightning speed. It then fell to the ground part of it sparkling with electricity due to metal being on it.

"Whoa… I'm so using that again!"

Slice and electrocute the remaining parts?

Her sadistic side started to jump in excitement.

Neji raised a brow, crossing his arms comfortably, leaning against the door frame. She sounded like a child on her birthday. "You like to destroy?"

"I'm used to it." She shrugged and then looked thoughtfully at her gloved and clawed hands. "Though, it'd be nice to create something… I don't think I've ever done that before…" Richochet gave a half smirk to him. "How about when we come back we plant some flowers?"

"…"

"…?"

"You must be joking." Neji said in disinterest, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah…" She jumped down and clicked her claws together in front of him. "You like my weapons? I've used them since I was little." The lava eyed girl cocked her head at them and looked up at the taller Neji. "I don't like them."

"Hmm…" Neji just leaned forward and touched them with a critical touch and looked them over. "They're blunt."

"So are a lot of things."

"Like you?"

Richochet gave a sarcastic grin back. "Ha. Ha. Walked right into that one, didn't I? And speaking of walking, I'm going now. I had to meet him, at twelve, but you kept me back. Jerk."

Neji just snorted and bopped her on the head. "Fine, go. Just come back safe." He rubbed her weasel spot, making her purr softly and then kissed her on the forehead before walking off, muttering. "Just come back."

Of course, Richochet, having been indulging into the nice sensation of being petted, missed it completely and walked out after realising he was gone muttering herself about him not giving proper goodbyes, when he had done so.

'**Stupid vessel.**'

'_Eh?_'

Rokubi rolled his eyes in disbelief. '**Nevermind.**'

* * *

. 

Jiraiya gave a grin to the girl next to him, wondering what it'd be like to be in prolonged contact with this Jinchuuriki. She was a contrary mixture of cool and calm and hot headed and arrogant. It was quite refreshing. A different refreshing to the bitchy-ness and drunken happiness he got from Tsunade, the hyper activeness and idiocy he got from Naruto and the uncaring boredom and sneakiness he got from Kakashi.

Yes.

He was rather looking forward to this.

"Oh yeah, thanks for the scroll. Naruto and I could really use them. Where'd you get them?"

"Secret."

"…Uh-huh." She said, rolling her eyes with a small smirk.

"Well let's go."

"What are we doing on this…'mission' as you call it? Just training?"

Jiraiya scratched his head. "Just training. And I needed an assistant too, though; I don't have a general idea on what we should do."

"So, let's just wing it then, huh?" Richochet gave a charming smirk at him.

The old man gave out a barking laugh. "Whatever you say, kid!"

He messed up her hair and walked forward as she glowered at his back, tingles shooting up his spine from the small bout of electrocution he had received as a warning from Rokubi no Raijuu.

Richochet jogged to keep up to his long legged strides. "Where are we going anyway?"

"How about you wait and see?"

She had a reply to that already. "Ah, but if we get lost? Unlike a lot of the other vessels, Rokubi deals with vibration and eye sight, even if I'm now colour blind."

Jiraiya raised his white eyebrows. "Oh, ho ho?" He smirked. "Colour blind, eh? So only grey, white and black?"

Richochet stepped over a rock smirking at the weasels that followed her in the trees. "Yes. And I can feel the type of energy too. Right now, I '_see'_ a lot of blue energy beams shooting out from all three hundred plus places on your person. If I smash them with a chakra loaded hand or foot or whatever…" She left off, knowing he'd pick it up.

"It's like the Byakugan, hmm?"

Richochet nodded, content to find someone to talk to such things about. "You know it's thought that the Sharingan comes from the Byakugan? Well, this eye type I have right now is in the middle, theoretically speaking, of the transition from Seishou eyes to the Byakugan. In fact, I'm positive that I could train someone with the Byakugan to copy jutsu like the Sharingan. I just need a hella lot more time to look at Sharingan and see if I can. Maybe the other way around too. Though it all may be impossible anyway."

"That's some theory. You'd be a well known Bloodline limit secrets master if you keep these types of things up." Jiraiya said thoughtfully. "Then again, that may not be so wise."

"Everyone likes to be told secrets. Maybe even kill for them."

Jiraiya stopped and looked back to her. "You're smarter than you let on."

Richochet also stopped a couple steps in front of him and turned back leisurely and gave a secretive smirk. "I'd rather not let anyone know how far behind or far ahead I actually am. Anyway, I've already let you on to a couple secrets of mine."

"You're colour blind and…" Jiraiya started up again as they finally broke the forest, their conversation making them mindless of where they were headed. "You have something of a feeling energy and seeing energy doujutsu. Yet not the depth of sight Byakugan has. It's between them now since I've been around Hyuuga a lot."

"Correct."

"Three-sixty vision?"

"No."

"The ability to pinpoint at far distances?"

"Sort of. If you include Rokubi but for normal Seishou vision? No." Richochet stopped. "You know a lot about Byakugan, mister." She gave him suspicious glance.

He just chortled. "If it's to do with _Konohagakure no Sato's_ clans and technique, then sure I do."

Richochet rolled her eyes. '_Crazy old coot._' Shaking her head of the thoughts, she came back to her original question. "Where're we heading? You realise I won't give up till you speak up about this subject?"

"Alright, alright. We're just going here and there for a week, getting your strengths known and weaknesses built on."

"Ugh. Simple." She felt out for life energies' and found theirs' to be the only ones. No one could hide their life energy. "I'm strong with Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. I have no aptitude for Genjutsu, except for seeing through them and dispelling and that takes quite the bit of concentration, even on a good day." Richochet said systematically as Jiraiya gawped at her.

"You…"

Richochet carried on, ignoring his staring. "I am especially weak against fire. If I get burnt, it hurts three times as bad. I cannot use Earth Jutsu Though I use blades, I am also weak in that area as my aim isn't all that it's cracked up to be when throwing. I have a singular distance attack and short distance suits me. I'm offensive rather than defensive and I need to work on that. However touching me lightly or heavily electrocutes you. Those who don't get zapped are… trusted… by me."

"Well, you're serious when it comes to fighting." He pointed out.

"It's probably one of the very few things that get top priority in my life apart from my own survival." Richochet shrugged as he stared at the much shorter girl.

"Well, what else makes that top priority list then?"

"Power. I need it for control. I need control to be safe. When I'm safe I'm happy."

Jiraiya's eyes seemed to darken. "Hm."

"Yet, I already have power…" She paused again, looking up to the very blue sky. "Rokubi is power. Yet it is not controlled, so I still seek power to be safe and happy. Power is in others who have great control so I learn from them. When I can control myself then-"

"Then what?"

A dull throb seem to go through her entire being.

"…Will I be happy?"

'**Of course it will. It has before, why not again?**'

'_But… This is a different world. I'm still just some thirteen year old brat._'

'**You'll grow up and get older won't you?**'

Jiraiya, seeing that she could go through a breakdown as her eyes stared at the ground, listening to whatever was going in her head, crouched down so she could see his face without moving.

"What else makes you happy, kid?"

Richochet paused and looked to him, thinking of what had made her feel somewhat good as of late. She wasn't much of a happiness person, more of a content and relaxed one. It's a very… out of the ordinary day when she was happy. "Um… Neji and Hinata and Naruto. I feel good around them. I… like… them a lot."

Jiraiya smiled warmly. She was rather blunt. His eyes closed as his smile grew. "Do you love them?"

Richochet was about to answer yes but then stopped. "I've heard that term before… Hey, you seem to know a lot of things, what's love? Surely it's in Konoha too?"

"You're a fourteen year old _girl_ and you don't know what love is?" Jiraiya gasped and stumbled back, as if shot, hand to his heart as he looked at her with pure hurt.

Richochet raised a brow. '_Thirteen, but whatever._'

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" He pointed at her in shock, eyes like balloons.

"Not exactly right there, are you? Would you just _tell_ me already?" She was starting to get a ticked off, eyes narrowing. She looked away, a scowl on her face as she glared at the trees.

"It's a feeling when you're with a special person! You're happy and warm and content and blissful and only want to see happiness on the person you love! You'll go through ups and downs and good patches and bad patches but you'll always be there for your other! Just remember there are different types of love! Sibling love, love for a child or nephew or niece or grandchild or cousin, love for a friend, love for a husband, love for a wife, love of a pet-"

Richochet wanted to pull out her hair at his fast monologue and frowned, unsure. "This is confusing. It's too hard. I don't think I like this idea of love. How can you tell one from another? I mean, I wouldn't mind loving a man or woman. Do I have to be with a man just because he's the opposite gender to me? Or do I have to be with a woman because she's the same gender as me?"

"Some people go with opposite, meaning they're hetero. Some go with their same gender and their homo. Some go for both meaning they're bi. Love's love. Some just love sex and love and the thought of being in love, so they're pansexual. You can never have love just because you want it, either."

"What if you give someone else your love?"

"Just because you give doesn't mean it's taken." Jiraiya said, trying to sound wise, but to her naïve ears on this subject, it didn't.

"So what _is_ love then?"

"For me, I'd say it would be… a feeling and a gift."

"A gift huh?" Richochet crossed her arms and frowned. "I'll have to have some time to think on this…"

"Why so many questions?"

"Why are there too many answers?"

A smile came to his face. "I honestly can't say I've ever heard someone say that before. Huh. You're an odd one. I like you."

Richochet blinked in surprise.

"I suppose you ain't too shabby either." A thoughtful look crossed her face; a look that Jiraiya immaturely thought could never be on her since it didn't seem to suit her. She eyed his hair. "Keep a control of that hair of yours though. It looks like it'll eat me or something."

Jiraiya just laughed. "You never know, kid! This isn't your world anymore!"

He walked on as she paled and stared in disbelief after him.

"I don't know if he's just pissing around with me or not. Ugh. Mental Images. Way to go, Richochet, way to go."

* * *

. 

"Aren't you to be training me?" Richochet said with a critical voice while she lay in her bed, facing the wall as he crept to the wall to escape through window at the dead of night. "Do you know how far behind the other Genin I am? It's embarrassing. Naruto's a 'dead last' and he's further ahead than me."

Jiraiya stilled at her voice. "How'd you know?"

"My Seishou eyes work even in my sleep." She replied with a yawn. "It's so irritating." Sitting up, she gave an amused look at his dear trapped in headlights look. "No need to look so scared of a thirteen year old girl."

He chuckled nervously. '_She reminded me of Tsunade back when we were kids on _that_ mission before she kicked my arse. How am I _not_ supposed to be scared?_' He thought despairingly. "Did you know your eyes glow in the dark?"

"Seishou eyes." She shrugged uncaringly. "I might not see three-sixty like my 'descendants' so to speak, but I still have some advantages to being a Seishou, you know. I see in the dark nearly as normally as if it were day. Though that may be due to Rokubi."

"Handy." Jiraiya said, pouting.

Richochet, dressed in a baggy top and some boxers she nicked from Neji that she made sure were clean, gave him a look and then rolled her eyes replying sarcastically. "What's eating you?"

"You're a meanie."

"…"

"…"

"…Uh…. Huuuuuh. Well, getting back to maturity, how about you teach me something? Something with lightning?"

'**I could help you with that.**' Rokubi pouted, feeling abandoned.

"How about…" Jiraiya smirked. '_This'll get that copycat for teaching the Uchiha that move._' He thought smugly. "One Thousand Birds, the Chidori? In fact… You could incorporate it into a whole style!" His eyes glinted with full intent. "Not only to a right or left fist but the whole body! It will hurt if you even swipe a person!"

"Wait, wait, wait – what is the Chidori? I can suppose it has lightning seeing as I asked you to teach me but, I need to see it."

"Chidori is named after its sound. A thousand birds screeching. Its energy that's converted into lightning, but seeing as you have the lightning demon within you giving complete and total access to his powers, if you just focus lightning into your hand…"

Her eyes caught the familiar feel of energy blasts and turned to the window to see the edge of black hair.

'_Wait…Uchiha Sasuke? What the fucks' he doing here?_'

'**Ignore that idiot.**'

'_Sure._'

'**Anyway.** _**That's**_** a perfect idea and it complements us beautifully. Here. To control my lightning, you just need our powers to mix… like so…**' As she paused, Rokubi linked the seal, his soul keeper, to her chakra system. '**Remember that feeling?**'

'_Like my body has just grasped on to something and won't let go? Like my blood is singing and running through my veins as if on crack? Sure, how can I not?_' Richochet responded, half sarcastic and half excited. She loved fighting, couldn't dream of not fighting again.

'**Of course, it won't sound like a thousand birds. There will be just a humming like that of a… say a computer or something at least a good lot more powerful.**' Rokubi was literally _jumping_ in his cage. '**Oh please, I'm as excited as you are. Summon energy to your palm like Neji has you do, but all over your hand.**'

Richochet willed her energy to go through, but unlike the chakra, this was _far_ quicker, easier and much more manageable. Instantly, the sparkles of electricity began to grow, a flood of golden flashes tinted sunset red jumping all over her hands as hums and clicks like static hitting each other began to sound out in the room. It was far quieter compared to a thousand birds and easier to perform too.

"It would be gold, wouldn't it? Rokubi was too. This is my demon energy mixed with his natural element. If I need anymore electric, I have a whole ton inside both of us and there even my stalker thunder cloud outside."

"Stalker cloud?" Jiraiya looked outside and to his puzzlement, there _was_ a cloud there. "Well damn." Then he turned back quickly, gleeful. "This is brilliant. I can't wait to show off to Kakashi-kun."

Richochet rolled her eyes but back to thinking. Her Leopard style would go brilliantly with this instead of the slower Muay Thai and tapping Gentle Fist.

Lots of fast but powerful actions included with electrocution?

Brilliant and beautiful to behold.

Her sadistic side couldn't be happier.

Getting up, she flooded her body with the power of Rokubi's lightning and her own chakra fused together and she glowed sunset gold and red, electric crackling all over. Going into a low stance as the Leopard style deals with mostly attacking over defence, its power was centred in the lower part of the body for speed and dexterity.

"That's Leopard Style…" Jiraiya's eyes widened as she started going into Kata's and stepped back as when she clawed out like a leopard, bolts of lightning shooting off of her like actual electric claws and smashed through the wall, ending up going into the cloud. "My God…"

Her own eyes widened in alarm.

'**It's a way to strengthen the cloud also. I suppose when you have enough power over this style having now added the lightning, you could control the lightning as if it were a remote controlled boomerang. Plus even if you miss them, you can connect it to yourself and heal yourself.**' Rokubi said ponderously. '**Kicking must be the same, as well as elbowing and kneeing.**'

Richochet took the power back into her body and sat down, totally exhausted. She wasted far too much chakra in that for such simple moves that she had known nearly half of her life.

"Ne, Jiraiya?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Tomorrow we work on stamina and chakra control since I'm nearly dead on my feet. Oh and I gotta tell you about this Manga called Dragon Ball Z cause there's this thing called Bukujutsu… Okaaaa…." She fell asleep halfway through saying 'okay' completely out of it. She curled into a ball on their futons as the six weasels bustled in, shocking the Sennin.

Jiraiya frowned.

Bukujutsu?

The Art of… Flying?

Giving a sigh, he picked up the girl – as innocently as possible as she was a minor and all - and put her on her bed, wincing when the weasels bit him for handling her and small shocks electrocuted him. Hissing at him, they curled up on and around her, yet never touched her head or seal. Not once.

Sighing, he looked at her form wondering what life had in store for her.

It seemed all the demon vessels had rough times controlling themselves form their own power. That sand kid couldn't control his sand at times, Richochet couldn't control her lightning properly – though he would make sure for her to get a grasp on it by the end of the week – and Naruto couldn't control Kyuubi's intensity and he supposed, when the time came, Kyuubi's natural ability over fire.

The white haired male stared out the window, looking after the girl who seemed, though very strong and somewhat muscular, was kind of small, baggy clothes hiding everything apart from her legs. He was glad she lost those clumpy big boots and took the shinobi shoes instead with her small toes peeking out, painted the same colour as her chakra lightning, golden sunset red.

He suspected that it wasn't nail polish though. Looking over to her fingers, he noted that the whole time he'd been with her; she hadn't had a chance to paint both and was now part of her having a demon within her.

Yes, his temporary charge was slowly having more demonic changes because of being a holder. He had noted that Naruto had even started to change, but very little. His whisker marking for one had lengthened about a centimetre, though he doubted the blonde noted. Or maybe he did, who knows?

Ah well.

He gave a small smile, the moon shining on him as the stars twinkled above.

He'd have to do the best he could for them both.

They were growing on him.

Even if one was a hyperactive nitwit who could get pervy ideas from him and the other a creepy eyed sneaky girl who could get jutsu ideas out of him.

* * *

. 

A week later had Neji listening to Lee, Naruto and Tenten as they were about to try some 'curry of life' that Sanshou-baa-san had made kindly for them. He looked down at it as it bubbled and hissed and paled slightly.

'_We're… supposed to eat this? It's… practically living dog shit. I can't believe these people want me to eat this._' He looked at the other without turning his head. '_Tenten looks about as disgusted as I am, but the polite smile is covering it up. Naruto seems as freaked out as us too and some what curious but Lee…_'

He turned to the boy who literally had hearts in his eyes and shuddered. There was something wrong with the boy to look at crap like that. He was certain something was alive in this. There had to be.

As Lee thanked the lady and started devouring it without dying, he _supposed_ he could give it a try.

"It's good! It's goooood! This spice is perfect!"

Naruto after watching him, look down at his own spoon and took it out and then picked some up, stuffing it in his mouth slowly. The other three men followed suit and Neji let Tenten go first before trying a small amount himself.

His eyes snapped open in horror and they all turned pink from the complete spiciness of it.

"HOOOOOOOOOOT!!"

The Hyuuga was severely surprised the house hadn't collapsed from their screaming.

Richochet and Jiraiya, a lot happier from when they started in the week, snapped their heads up as they neared a lone restaurant with seven life forms in it. Though she couldn't tell who it actually was from this distance, her power too weak right now and she was kinda tired from all that tree walking and water walking, it was very well known to her.

That yell was familiar, though…

"Was that Naruto?" Jiraiya asked and Richochet nodded in agreement.

"Sounds like it. Wow… He kinda sounds like me when I yell, the big blonde idiot." Richochet insulted him, shaking her head. "I'll check it out. Might be fun."

"If you want to, kid, you can, but I'm leaving you here." He smirked at his already Chuunin slash Jounin level Genin. She had the cunningness as well as the power to back it up. All she needed work on was chakra control – which was odd for a Kunoichi – though it was rather good and her aim and stamina.

Oh, and to work as a team mate rather than be a lone wolf. Her teamwork skills sucked, but she was good at being bossy by commanding others and getting her own way.

Brat.

She needed to work at seeing through Genjutsu too and work on planning since she was good at one on one matches rather than reconnaissance type missions. She was still in underground fighter mode rather than ninja. Though her slight sneakiness and knowing how enemies worked in underground by having used to be one was a relief for him.

He didn't want her dying anytime soon. He'd grown rather fond of her.

"It's Richochet, not 'kid'. Jeeze, I'm not a goat." Richochet muttered as he walked off to somewhere or other.

Fond enough as you could get with this one anywho.

Taking out a bottle of fresh strawberry milk, she drunk some and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her gloves in her hip pouch. She only had to take them out once when they were attacked by a bunch of bandits, but had quickly been defeated with a few zapping punches and gentle fist blows.

She hadn't told Jiraiya, but she had stolen all their money too.

Kleptomania was coming in again.

It was in the bottom of her bag in the stolen wallets they had stolen from others. It was unlikely Jiraiya didn't know, though. Heck, at night he'd probably nicked some, the big lug. She knew there was still plenty left, though she still wasn't used to buying anything other than ramen and lemon pops, what with living at the Hyuuga Estate, so she supposed she'd just save it up for an apartment somewhere when she would have to live elsewhere.

And maybe she'd buy some lemon pops too…

Yeah, it was kinda odd for a ninja to have an obsession on food. But heck, once Naruto became a Hokage, he'd probably make a decree that all ninja must have a favourite food that they eat obsessively. She could actually see it happening as well.

Crazy world.

She thought back to her previous week. She'd learned the new jutsu's and practices during the days, but when it came to sleeping, she spent hours with Rokubi training them.

Day one and two had Jiraiya teaching her water-walking and tree-walking at a level that made sure she wouldn't even realise she was walking on each without a sweat. It built her control as well as storage into greater proportions than before. Something she was grateful for when the next days came along. The second half of the second day was devoted to little jutsu's for mission purposes such as Rope Untying no jutsu and Mizuma no jutsu which was simply water purification for when water supplies were impure such as lake water and she didn't gain diseases.

Three and four had her learning a generous amount of Raiton and Katon techniques, even though she wouldn't really use Katon for apprehension of hurting herself. Three each. Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu, Katon; Haisekisho no jutsu and Katon; Housenka no jutsu for fire. For lightning, she barely had to do many seals while having to do many for the fire attacks.

She gained Raiton; Rai Arashi no jutsu which was basically a huge storm of lightning which made her stalker cloud lengthen for more power and more bolts of lightning. Chibi Rai no jutsu which helped to forcefully restart the circulatory system when all else failed. Thirdly she gained Rairyū no Tatsumaki which, when she first used it, decimated the area with a lightning dragon the size of a mansion… but hey, shit happens, you know?

The last was the most chakra draining. In fact, she would faint afterwards, according to Rokubi, if she were to use it before her third illness. Basically it was creating a giant clone of Rokubi of pure lightning and letting him run rampant killing everyone but those he liked and destroying everything. 'Raiton: Rokubi Kuchiyose no jutsu.' Was what it was called. Lightning Style; Summoning of Rokubi Technique.

Day five was a day of rest and meditation and she helped Jiraiya acquire data for his books, unfortunately enough, by going to different springs and asking certain different 'things' of women by wondering what 'sex' is. Day six and seven brought Richochet with a new type of Jutsu.

Bukujutsu.

The art of flying.

Though she daren't use it. It used a whole ton of her chakra when she didn't use it right and she fainted straight after. And one and a half days just wasn't enough time. The other half of the day was spent travelling as she figured a way to stop too much chakra leaking from her tenketsu.

We'll also ignore the surprise attack by a bunch of bandits.

Which was kind of a disappointment. As well as these bandits being lousy at their job, she was half expecting Akatsuki to show up for her, ti was a great time. However, she had been given a scroll which she'd yet to open up. jiraiya dind't know either and she felt it better that way.

Shaking her head, she ignored her thoughts

* * *

. 

Jogging over, she opened the door and stepped in. Her eyes opened in surprise. Team Gai was there also. Curious. Must be a mission. She gave a smirk when they look up.

"Whoa… what happened to you guys faces? You look like mutated _lobsters_." She snubbed them with a larger smirk. They glared at her apart from Lee who waved at her like a wild animal. Rolling her eyes, she chucked her bottle to Neji, who was currently, despite looking like a lobster, checking her over for injuries and wounds. He caught it and drank some absently, scrutinising her with watchful eyes.

"You aren't hurt?"

"No way. I'm just too damn good for a bunch of bandits to take on."

'**Though you got kicked by one and it left quite the bruise on your hip opposite your other tattoo of the crescent moon.**' Rokubi put in, as if informing Neji even if he couldn't hear him.

'_Let's just ignore the kick in the stomach, okay?_'

Neji frowned. "No kicks to the stomach?"

Her eyes snapped to his, narrowed, cocking her head to the side. "What?"

Rokubi stilled. '**Already?**'

'_Already what?_'

'_Yeah! Already what?_'

'**Nothing.**'

'_Aww…_' They both replied to the demon.

He blinked at her, looking confused and then turned to Naruto who was looking at the new person and then back at his food, eating the rice only, making him role his eyes and forget it.

'**What month is it?**'

'_Nearly February the uh, third?_'

'**Nearly time for your third illness period.**' Rokubi noted.

'_My next illness is soon? I suppose it is time. Once in the beginning of December. One that carried out form the end of December to the Beginning of January… another one around the beginning of Feb. I _am_ going to be ill soon._'

"Are you ill?" Neji stared at her hard.

"I'm… fine…" Richochet cocked her head again, confused.

Her eyes looked at Naruto, who shrugged, clueless. '_Maybe he's starting to hear Rokubi and you and me?_'

'**Or…** **Maybe just you? He's only reacting to what you say.**'

'Am I hearing things?'

Her body stilled as Neji's voice broke into her mind.

'**Ah, so you can now hear each other at random intervals by sitting next to each other?**' Rokubi laughed. '**This will be fun. But it seems as if you would only in the vicinity of each other.**'

Hmm.

"By the way, where's Karashi-kun?" Lee asked as Neji passed Tenten some of her strawberry milk. Richochet shrugged at that. Ah well, she had another bottle of it. Taking it out, she undid the lid and was about to drink when in was snatched away by the still red Naruto.

Scowling at the fact she had no more strawberry milk, she crossed her arms and glared at the orange clad boy. "I wanted that strawberry milk… It was the last they had in stock." She mumbled under her breath.

"After seeing you train, Lee-kun, he became a fast and energetic boy." The old lady sighed. "Yet he became so energetic he left the village." Then she saddened a bit. "Maybe its' my fault for saying he should be stronger all the time."

Richochet snorted. "Reminds me of a certain teacher I kn-"

BOP!

"-ACK! Damnit!"

Neji scowled at her, a hint of a smile crawling up his lips. '_You don't know how long I wanted to do that._'

"Yeah, yeah, I get it already…" Rubbing her head, she grabbed the empty bottle that flew at her via Naruto. "You drank it all? You owe me some strawberry milk damnit! I was offering the other bottle!"

He just grinned at her weakly. "That was some hot curry."

"…Curry? Spicy curry?"

"HELL yeah!" Naruto nodded.

Putting down the other bottle, the first came back to her three quarters of it empty. "I suppose I forgive you then… I really don't like spicy foods that much. A little spice is fine though…" Richochet said absently, rubbing her aching head, opening the bottle and drinking the rest off. She hadn't felt Neji give her that hard a hit before. Aw, he missed her. '_Abusive teacher._'

"I'm not abusive." Neji murmured, looking at her and then froze. He could have sworn he heard her, but she also was drinking. '_What the…? I could have sworn…'_

Rokubi snickered. '**This is good. You should insult him more when you're eating or drinking. He thinks he's going crazy.**'

"You don't have to worry; I'm not blaming you Lee-kun." Sanshou smiled.

"It's too late!" Lee said passionately. "It's my responsibility! NEJI-KUN! Please add Karashi-kun's retrieval to the mission! Let us bring him back from the clutches of evil!"

Richochet raised a brow. '_Why do we have to rescue some runaway kid? It's his own damn fault for pissing off. Ah well…_'

Neji nodded with a silent sigh, wondering why he always got stuck with his idiotic team mate. "Okay. Let's make this place our meeting point. After observing the town, let's make a plan and put it into action." He turned to the three down the table. "I would like you three to stay here. It'll be troublesome-" He glared as Richochet snorted and mumbled something about copying Shikamaru and Naruto snickered, "-If the Kurosuke family discovers you."

"Well, how about we get some shut eye first?" Tenten perked up and grinned at Richochet for saying so. "It's getting dark… And heck, I need it."

* * *

. 

"Guys! Rokusuke is missing!" One of the other three men found by Naruto entered the room. "What'll we do?!"

The others stood up.

"I can't believe that idiot ran off DATTEBAYO!"

Tenten and Richochet were then seen in the doorway. Tenten spoke up. "We got enough sleep, so we might as well go find him."

The add-on to the mission nodded in agreement.

"Very well." Neji spoke quickly with a good amount of authority. "We go. Pack light."

"I'm already done." Richochet said, taking off her baggy jumper and tying it around her waist tightly.

"Me too." Tenten patted her scrolls and holsters.

"Yosh!" Lee held up his fists.

"Dattebayo!"

"Let's go."

* * *

. 

"Someone's coming." A child's voice spoke

Someone chuckled. "Look's like we'll have to prepare another funeral, huh?"

* * *

I decided just to paragraph what she learnt instead of going day by day, And when I remembered this filler episode I couldn't help but put it in,

After all, lightning is a certain girls best friend. XP

And certain people find out certain things.

Ten words?

_Best Friends. Swords. Funerals. Intoxicated. Ranmaru hugs Richochet. Puppy Love._

Tune in next time!

* * *

* * *


	17. Chapter XVII

Sorry for the delay, but I think I'll update as erratically as this. It's better for my day to day business. Work... College... Friends... Chapters... All these things I have to juggle. Damn you life! Give me more time! Make it twenty six hours a day at least:D 

**My hugs and love go to...**

_Silver Mononoke - Mair 9512 - Ugly Beautiful - Zero Asakura - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Neko of Light - NaraYingyi (for ch.15) - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Uchiha-Itachi-3434 - CatrinaCat45_

_Enjoy this one! Hope it doesn't disappoint:)_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**

* * *

**

"They flew! They flew and were blown to pieces!" Raiga laughed throatily as he held onto Ranmaru. "As I thought! It's not sad at all. No point in having a funeral over this."

Ranmaru smiled from inside his bag but the frowned. "There are five of them Raiga. Two of them… are strong. One of them… has the same lightning love as you do. The thunderclouds are commanded by that ones' power."

Raiga stilled.

"We must kill that one then."

"It is the black haired female with the eyes of mountain fire." Ranmaru said, eyes glowing a demonic red.

"Where is she?"

"Heading back to her home, but will come back soon."

* * *

. 

Having just given in a small status report to Tsunade, the fifth Hokage, Richochet was looking forward to going back to the Hyuuga complex and taking a shower or taking a nap, or both.

However, many elements were in her way.

Including one, irritating, old looking, but oddly charming Sannin.

Oh.

And one lazy-eyed, copycat ninja.

"No."

"Please, kid?"

"No."

"Aw, come on, kid!"

"NO."

"But kiiiiiid…" Jiraiya whined, pointing at Kakashi who was next to him. "You hafta show him!"

"We didn't make a deal on it." Richochet growled stopping and turning around to face the two men, ticked off. "You wanted to train me, I accepted. The. End."

"GAH!" Jiraiya huffed as Richochet turned back and continued on, a satisfied smirk on her face at making him angry. "What'll it take for you to show him?" He stressed out.

Pausing, Richochet looked up into the setting sun. "Hmm. What can you give me? And that includes both of you." She added on to Kakashi.

"…A jutsu from both of us?"

"Which ones?"

"Depends on how good it is." Kakashi smirked. "If I'm impressed… how about…"

Richochet looked at him. "How many lightning attacks do you know? Ne, Jiraiya, did you tell him about my tenant?"

"No."

"Tenant?" Kakashi questioned, slightly confused.

"Hey, can you keep a secret? A really big one?" Jiraiya asked of his loyal book buyer. "Big as in… demonically big?"

Kakashi eyes widened. "You mean, you have the lightning demon trapped in…" His eyes flickered to Richochet who smirked, flashing baby fangs at him. "Rokubi no Raijuu…"

"I wield lightning and we've stolen your idea of Chidori. Just… multiplied all over really." Richochet shrugged carelessly and let the bolts jump over her easily, powering up.

Kakashi nearly fainted as he leaned against the wall. He pointed at her, eye wide.

"Well, kid. You made my day. Here, I'll teach you two since this idiot's out of it." Jiraiya grinned, pointing a thumb to Kakashi who was staring at her. "How about… Bunshin Daibukuha and… Let's see… Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu? Clone Great Explosion and Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Release? Everyone should know at least two different element attacks if they're Nin."

"I'd rather not learn an Earth Technique since I can't use them. Or Fire techniques. Teach me a water one."

"Bossy brat. Fine. Water… Water… Ah!"

"Do Kanashibari too." Kakashi spoke up, back from his shock. "Kanashibari no Jutsu would be very good to learn for paralyzing an opponent along with the electricity and water for conduction. Naruto told me you want to be Hunter-Nin?."

"Correct."

"Alright, Kanashibari, Bunshin Daibukuha and Suiton: Suijinheki. You got your work cut out for you in these few hours."

Richochet smirked. "Then teach me already until I get a basic grasp of each. Hurry up, too. Hokage-baa said I should go back and have myself put on Team Gai's mission. Oh and you better not inform anyone of my tenant. Got it?"

"Fine. Bossy little thing, aren't you?"

* * *

. 

"I, who harness the power of lightning, am different from you who have limited chakra." He laughed as he watched Naruto fall down in front of him, his body limp and shuddering from the pure energy of lightning.

'_Shit!_'

Richochet ran down the slope, footsteps loud even when the thunderclouds raced to guard her position from up above like a gathering of evil guardian angels. Raiga looked up, glowered angrily and then stopped as he realised it was just a pathetic girl as a smirk crawled up his face in sadistic amusement.

'_Naruto! Don't move too quickly!_' She yelled out in her mind to him, protective instincts welling up as she saw his mussed up body.

Naruto turned his head, slowly, weakly. '_N-No, Chet-chan…_' He was out of breath and decidedly exhausted on top of being injured. '_You'll b-be hurt._'

'_Have you forgotten my element _is_ lightning? It can't hurt me and I have other attacks too. Everything in this battle is _perfect_ for me. I just _can't_ lose this one._' Richochet comforted him abruptly. '_I'll get you out of there. Neji too._' Her eyes moved over to his form and narrowed dangerously feeling even more angered.

'**How dare he hurt those under Raijuu's own protection!**' Rokubi roared angrily. The thunder got dangerous, clouds rumbled threateningly as Richochet scowled up at him as she stopped next to Neji.

The said boy looked up with moon eyes half lidded in pain. He grabbed her ankle weakly. "G-Get out of h-here."

"An idiot is here at my feet and another tries to rescue! An idiot pair is at my feet!"

"Is that something to say to a person who tried their best?!" Lee asked furiously. He turned to Richochet with a stern look. "Please move them out of here!"

She felt her lips thin in annoyance though acquiesced to his demand and quickly moved Neji to hide him behind a larger rock, but so he could still see. "You better not move, Neji." The girl warned him. "Not until you're somewhat better."

He tried frowning at her but it turned out as a wince. "You'll be hurt." He coughed and tried to reach to out to hold her here with him instead of letting her go to her certain doom but she easily dodged his right hands grab and instead held the bandaged hand. "Richochet…"

"I haven't been particularly truthful with you, Neji." Richochet looked up at the stormy sky and felt better even if Rokubi was agitated and ready to rip some people apart because of it. "You see, lightning can't harm me. There's a reason Naruto and I hit it off so well as 'best friends' as you call them." Leaning forward, feeling ambitious, she kissed him gently on the tip of his nose.

He blinked at her in slight surprise.

"I think you'll understand very soon what lightning does to me instead." When thunder cracked behind her, her eyes lit up like molten gold and Neji could see a wild golden coloured spiked weasel pacing in them before the lightning disappeared and they returned to the normal lava colour. She smirked evilly; face twisting into a superior look under Rokubi's influence, and Neji stilled.

Richochet really was a jinchuuriki…?

Why the heck hadn't she told him before?

Didn't she trust him after all of these days training?

Yet she told Naruto…

But Naruto would have understood far better than any other in Konohagakure no Sato.

He gritted his teeth and glared at the ground before willing away his emotions in favour of watching the battle and saving judgement till later. Now was the time to get his energy back.

Standing up immediately as she kept the face on, she turned and went to see what was happening.

"…A funeral for you!" Raiga shouted, infuriated at the green spandex wearing boy.

Lee stared at him. Moving his hands down he dug into the orange fabrics of his leg warmers and pulled out a heavy amount of weights. Her eyes widened in surprise. She didn't realise he wore weights like her in everyday training. Then she quickly looked at Naruto, having forgotten him in because of Neji, before dashing over and grabbing him roughly and pulling him back.

They then started to fight as Richochet laid Naruto next to Neji. Wincing as she realised Naruto was in a tricky situation and having his back digging into by a rock she was about to touch his when sparks flew up her arm and pulled away before damaging him further.

"Damnit…" She muttered and spoke to Rokubi. '_Calm down._'

'**He hurts what's ours, Richochet. OURS!**' The demon roared furiously.

She soothed him down. '_We'll get him. And I'm so stealing those weapons._'

Rokubi paused in his anger. '**Hmm. Good idea.**'

"Hey…" Neji spoke up and she turned to him. He was about to open his mouth but a scream tore at her attention and she snapped her head to see Lee being electrocuted.

"Why that…!"

"You… Why are you _going_ so far?" Raiga demanded of the boy.

"As long as Gai-sensei is watching me with a smile, that's enough to make me strong." Lee replied, getting back up again. "That's my way of the ninja."

"Is that so…?" The opponent closed his eyes, drenched with rain. "So you're living for this Gai person? Then he should have a funeral for you! Weeping as he thinks of how hard you try!"

Richochet ran out and appeared next to Lee. He'd need help in a minute.

"Ninpou…Rairyuu no Tatsumaki!" He cried out his Lightning Dragon Tornado, lifting his swords as lightning reached down, creating a thunderstorm of a tornado around him as it sparked on the spiked swords. Wind picked up and slammed things around, rocks smashing into mountains, creating a storm of noise.

Richochet and Lee let their eyes widened as a dragon's head snarled from the top of it. Though she may be healed by lightning and Lee may be quick as lightning, there was no way they could have escaped the winds that drew them in.

"KYAAA!" Lee shouted out his pain as he got electrocute again, lifted up into the air and thrown away.

Richochet wanted to cry out in the warm sensations of the lightning running through her, making her remember when she first came here and felt the power filling her to the brim. Smashing through rocks with her chakra filled fists, and sawing rocks into dust quickly she stopped and glared at him when it disappeared.

Her body crackled with the lightning as she smirked at him, body glowing golden red with her own demon enhanced lightning instead of his normal one that was white blue.

He swore before calling up another Lightning Fang and shooting it at her. Not moving, she let it hit her and power her up even more, bolts of lightning dancing quicker and more aggressively over her.

"Why doesn't it affect you?!" Raiga shouted in rage at her.

"It just doesn't. I'm more of a natural medium for lightning anyway." She shrugged with her smirk still on and baby fangs glinting. Raiga howled in rage. Running up, she drove a fist into his stomach, but it was blocked by his own stronger fist. He screamed and let her go before slicing at her vertically.

Jumping to the right she tried for a kick to the side of the knee cap but he jumped back near the cliff edge, scowling at her.

'_Ne, Richochet! I'm back and kicking! They gave me some curry of life so don't fret, we'll back you up soon, 'ttebayo!_' Naruto cheered mentally, not listening to Tenten for a moment.

'_Oh, take your time._' She said sarcastically, dodging some more swipes before successfully landed a lightning enhance blow, but the lightning didn't affect him when the blade took it and shot it back up to the clouds. She glowered at his sneaky move.

Damn these devious Missing-Nins.

Raiga stumbled back and Richochet, quickly punching his wrist and then twisting her hand to pinch a main artery, deftly grabbed the electric sword as he let go of it automatically because of the pain and flung it forcefully away and over the cliff where she would slyly retrieve it later.

Raiga growled threateningly, throwing more punches but she kept dodging, knowing it'd hurt like hell to get whacked by an experienced ninja while her own punches would only hurt because of the lightning. She wouldn't try and go up against a full grown man in a fair fight either, she may have been strong in Taijutsu, but she was still just a teenager and female against his natural masculine strength, no matter how much she didn't like it.

Smirking at him once more, she pulled back by jumping a couple meters backwards and performed her 'borrowed' jutsu.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Four more of her appeared; draining her chakra to about just above three quarters way, but then the lightning sparkling across her went into her, filling it back up again.

Oh yeah, this was her element. There was no way this man could win – everything was going for her. He'd been wasting his chakra before she got here, he would definitely be more tired than her and with the electricity flowing through her she was a whole mile above him in power. The conditions were perfect for her.

Rokubi snickered cunningly in her mind. '**You could go on forever if your body had great stamina.**'

Now five times as aggressive, Raiga had to go all out defensive, as Richochet went from Shaolin Leopard style to the Gentle Fist style and the Muay Thai Style, mixing them up appropriately and dishing out liberal amounts of pain.

Punch, kick, dodge, jab-jab, swipe, jump, jab-jab-jab-jab, swipe, swipe, POOF, punch, punch, smack, slash, crash.

Raiga had his hands full.

He was now bleeding from the mouth because of internal bleeding. He couldn't use a lot of his sword attacks due to many points of tenketsu being cut off and there were slash marks from the girls' nails… no… claws.

'**Kill him.**' Rokubi chanted over and over in her mind, trying to push her to enjoy bloodlust once more.

'_I'm having fun here, Rokubi._' Richochet thought back, wiping some blood away from her slashed hand with her tongue as the cut on her leg bled dark red. Her shorts were cut, but she had been quick enough with her lighter weight against his slower form and missed her actual skin.

Performing a long set of animal weaves, she landed on tiger for concentration. "Bunshin Daibakuha!" Jumping two of her clones back, the remaining one exploded as she performed the Clone Great Explosion, given to her earlier by Kakashi and Jiraiya.

Raiga eyes widened as he heard and jumped away but he was blown back fiercely, smashing him against the mountainside and breaking his left hand and arm, despite not really able to use it because of Gentle Fist. He breathed heavily and looked up disbelievingly at the tired but still ready to go Richochet. His eyes widened as the sparks of lighting crackled around her to show off, intimidating him.

The golden red glow became permanent as two small bulbs of lightning created small ears on top of her head and sparked at random. The whisker markings widened and lengthened, also turning the same colour of demonic lightning energy. A tail of lightning energy swished from side to side, completely red at the end and sparking crazily. Her hair had lightened to shimmer the same reddish gold colour as her energy.

Her fangs grew and she grinned, not knowing of her changes. "What's the matter?" Her voice was deeper, scratchy, as Rokubi somewhat took over.

"What's _with_ you freaky punks?!"

Lee raced up, drunk as anything and smashed his prior opponent away. Richochet dodged as Raiga flew near the cliff side, accidentally slamming his charge, Ranmaru, off the cliff.

'_RANMARU!_'

Naruto burst out from his hiding place and caught him hurriedly before he plummeted to his certain demise. Giving out a sigh in relief, the orange clad boy asked, "Are you okay, Ranmaru?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Richochet lost some of her angered aggressiveness given to her by Rokubi as they both saw their friend safe and no longer unconscious. Her one tailed form, generated by the mixture of lightning, energy and fuming emotions suddenly went away. Nails shortened, whiskers thinned out and hair changed back to wild black and energy dimmed down to crackle over her normally.

Tiredness washed over her, but sheer will pushed her to stay awake.

Then again, she'd never felt so alive.

"Where did you go RANMARU?!" The man shrieked out, fearing for his eyes and ears. He centred his attentions on Lee and Richochet. "I won't forgive you!"

"Ninpou…" He twirled his sword and let it catch lightning. Shoving it above him, he cried out as the lightning started to engulf him. "Raigeki no Yoroi!" His Lightning Armour went up and covered him completely. He charged at the two with a creepy battle cry.

Richochet bent her knees slightly and jumped over Lee who had run around drunk before charging him. Richochet copied him, coming right up next to her green clothed companion as they both slammed fists into his tender stomach, which had been nailed before by the weasel holding girl.

The two men flipped away, both affected negatively by lightning, Lee near the cliff and Raiga near the cliff edge. Dirt and rocks slammed out of the way as they slid painfully across the ground, scratching their backs in agony as dust formed clouds around them.

Richochet mentally thanked Lee for taking the blow for her purposely, even if drunk when doing so. Jumping back, she landed next to him, a few paces in front and to the left. She might be thankful, but there was no way she'd be in front of him and get attacked from behind because he was drunk somehow.

Her nose scrunched up at the thought of alcohol.

'_Woulda been nice to have some…_'

'**Concentrate. You should know this already.**' Rokubi growled and she returned her mind to the fight.

"I'll have a FUNERAL FOR YOU BOTH!!" Raiga bellowed as he got up, pointing his sword at them duo.

"WAIT!" Naruto shouted, having chakra climbed his way back up the mountain. He flipped over the swordsman. Landing in front of the duo in a crouch, he felt Ranmaru get off before standing and grinning at Richochet, who looked like she just got caught in a storm. "How comes you're not hurt at all apart from those scratches?"

"…I'm just that good." She grinned back at him arrogantly.

Really, she was dead exhausted, but her pride made her not show it. She was showing off, basically. Not that Rokubi cared. As long as _he_ was in this body, he'd make sure that his carrier would be seen as strong and great amongst the great. That and he didn't want her dead since that meant his death too.

"WhatEVER! I knew you'd say something like that!"

"Then why ask if you don't believe me or like what I say?"

"Well, I… Uh…"

"Idiot."

"GAH! This is what I get for helping! Here!" He handed her the sword she threw down the cliff. "It got caught, you ungrateful meanie! I heard what you were saying! Thief!"

She put in next to the intoxicated and unconscious Lee and gave a smirk. "Cheers."

Ranmaru stood bravely in front of Lee and Richochet, not wanting them to be hurt from his Raiga.

Raiga frowned, looking somewhat betrayed at the actions. "What are you doing Ranmaru? Why are you defending them?"

"I want you to try the curry of life. I want you to eat it, too." Ranmaru said with a saddened look upon his mature features. "When you eat that curry, you realize you're not alone! Everyone's feelings melt together."

"Huh? What are you saying?" Raiga frowned even more deeply.

'_I agree with the psycho._' She pointed out in Naruto's mind.

He frowned at her and put a finger to his mouth. '_SSH!_'

"Let's stop hurting people now."

"Stop it!" The man held his ears and closed his eyes harshly. "You are my eyes and ears! If you say things like… like THAT… we won't be one anymore!" Raiga looked away with pain on his face.

"Go on, strike me with lightning. We are one. When I die, you die!"

Richochet rolled her eyes in disbelief. '_What the hell? We are one? Oh please…_'

Rokubi snickered and brought up a picture of a certain male. '**That's what **_**you**_** and that **_**Neji boy**_** will be like soon.**'

'_Spare me the thoughts, weasel._'

"I… have to give you a funeral!" Raiga raised his sword and quickly, Richochet went into a Leopard style position, bending her knees to get a spring into her run.

"STOP IT! Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto jumped in front of them all. '_ Help me out Richochet. Your demons' energy can be of use! Just copy my hand signal!_'

Richochet ploughed down into Rokubi's energy and her own. "Alright… Tajuu, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Two hundred Naruto's and Richochet's appeared in the same position, though sparks flared around hers dangerously close to the Naruto's. Naruto and his companion glowered at the man as thunder ran around him, wanting to get to the real Richochet and refill her chakra storage to full health again.

In fact… "Rai'un no jutsu!" A huge bolt of energy slammed into her from her stalker cloud, it glowing demonic red against the others that were plain dark grey in her eye sight, and filling her to the brim with chakra. She breathed heavily, not used to stamina going so quick and muscles starting to ache, heartbeat accelerating.

The lightning may have healed her and restored her chakra, but it didn't heal her 'stamina gauge' so to speak. And since her body hadn't gone through its' third illness when she would be able to properly take the demonic energy in, her body felt wiped out and depleted, hurting badly. Her chakra veins which the chakra travelled through were burning and taking a lethal dose of pain, not used to demonic energy going through them.

"Brat! It doesn't matter how many there are of you! I'll take you ALL down!"

Richochet snorted, needing the rest and Naruto picked up on it. He knew she hadn't the same amount of stamina as they did and it was only because of Rokubi she was still standing. He also had heard she was bound to go through her third illness soon earlier yesterday.

For some reason, Richochet's face went red and heat flamed through her digestive system before something dribbled from her mouth. Frowning, she realised something must have happened to Neji for blood to fall from her mouth. She knew it was blood from that familiar taste. The most familiar taste she knew, apart from lemon pops of course.

She raised a hand to touch the red life giving liquid and pulled it away to stare at it.

'_What the hell happened to him?_'

"How can you say that and raise your hand to the one who risked his life for you?!" Naruto growled at from the back and Richochet nodded. She may be a bit of a wise arsed, arrogant git but hell if she didn't know when she owed someone big time.

Not that she knew if Ranmaru really did owe Raiga since Neji had sent her back to report before coming back here… but still.

…How dare he?!

"Ranmaru, you broke a promise that we'd always be together!"

"He's not alone!" Naruto replied, all for the whole argument about friendship and whatnot. Richochet wouldn't give a damn, which he knew, because she wouldn't ever be in this situation. She'd have killed Raiga off a while back but Lee had interrupted. "He knows what it's like to laugh with everyone and not just with you!"

'_Bloody hell… The cheesiness of it all._'

"Naruto…?" Ranmaru said faintly, in awe with the boy.

'_Brilliant. We have a hero worshipper on our hands._'

"We won't let you have that funeral Ranmaru! Ne Richochet?!" He turned to his best friend who nodded lazily.

"…Aa." She stepped next to him and Ranmaru stared at her. She winked at the little boy quickly making him blush.

Naruto, having not seen the movement, grinned at her, knowing that was probably all he'd get from her, and turned back to Ranmaru. "Don't worry. She's always like that. Silent and violent!" Naruto pointed to his arse, making her sneer at him.

"You did not just compare me to a fart, you freak." Richochet growled and he growled back playfully.

"HEY! Don't sputter nonsense you damn brat!" Raiga added with his own angered look, words with bite in them. He glowed with the colour of his lightning, blocking most of his body off. "Hate… I am Kurosuki Raiga-sama, who was once considered one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen. I won't take any orders from the likes of you!"

'_Full of himself, ain't he?_'

'**And you're not?**' Rokubi snickered.

'_I don't call myself Richochet-sama and add on any nonsense title._' Richochet rolled her eyes. '_That's your style._'

'**The **_**cheek**_** of it. No gives me the respect I deserve anymore.**' Rokubi muttered, pouting.

"That's right… You were one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen right? You know Kisame, yeah?" Naruto turned back to the man wide determined eyes.

"Kisame…? I hate him. That's why I'll definitely have a funeral for him when I find him. I hate him." He raged silently. "I hate all of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen! Ranmaru, you were my only companion… But you have made other friends… We can no longer be two in one…"

"Raiga…" The purple haired child said sadly, reaching for him, red eyes pleading.

"YOU-KNOW-IT-ALL!!" Summoning more lighting, as if he didn't have enough already, he started screaming at the young light purple haired male viciously. "Who do you think taught you about the outside world?! It's time for a funeral!"

The army of Naruto's and Richochet's started to blow up when lightning hit them. Shadow clones couldn't stand up to the angry pulses of electricity.

Raiga started to breath in heavily tired from using his arms that weren't working well because of the earlier Gentle Fist and stopped racing lightning up and down the mountain murderously.

Jumping up, ten clones of Naruto and Richochet sped through the clouds which lingered because of the split floor being broken ferociously and spun high above him. Naruto yelled out the attack of 'Clone Rotation, Army Strike Formation' quickly making stuff up. "Bunshin Kaiten Kakatou to Shin!"

Slamming down axe kicks upon the enemy, Raiga stumbled back and tried to remove the dizziness and pain by shaking his head quickly. "B-Brats…" he insulted weakly.

Landing back onto all fours, the six remaining bunshins glared at him. "Bunshin Tai Takatai!" Clone Body Attack raced at Raiga brutally slamming into his face and stomach with heads smashed to the stomach and chakra focused fists to the face.

Skidding back, Raiga fell to his knees in anguish and agony. The real Richochet and Naruto blurred in front of him, giving him dirty looks before slamming their fists into his chin and throwing him off the cliff by its sheer force.

"Ranmaru… Now you are free…" He smiled in his pain, blood pouring out form its opening in his face as he let go of the sword. Richochet caught it quickly and smirked before letting the expression go.

"Raiga!" Ranmaru cried out in grief.

"LIGHTNING!!" Helping things along since she knew the man didn't have enough energy; she directed the thunder from above with a hand a look of blankness on her face. "GIVE ME MY FUNERAL!"

"Rai… Ga…"

Richochet stared after him.

In her mind, the scene warped back to an extremely high skyscraper of a building as her own twin sister smiled at her before walking backwards and off.

"_I'm not needed as much as you think I am, Toko."_

_Her small hand held out to her twin, Shoko, as she too another step backward, wobbling now, eyes wide in raw emotion as her voice stuttered out words to make her stop. "Is it because I fight? You know I fight because-"_

_Shoko shook her head in anger and sorrow, glaring at her, making her flinch in shame. Shoko never… ever glared at her. "That is it!! I no longer wish it to happen! I no longer wish for you to… to… UGH!! STOP!! That is it!!"_

"_**SHOKO!! YOU ARE NEEDED DAMNIT!! **_**I**_** NEED YOU!**__"_

Richochet shook her head. "It's different."

"This is Raiga, not Shoko." Naruto said simply as he looked at her with teary eyes.

'_You saw._'

'_Couldn't not. You know that._'

'_Yeah. Thanks._'

'_What for?_'

'_Crying._'

'_Huh?_'

'_No one ever cried for her when she died._' Richochet smiled weakly.

Ranmaru came up to them and looked down at the blackness of the cliff. "He's really gone…"

"He'll come back to you in your dreams." Richochet informed him promptly.

Ranmaru looked up at her.

"Especially since you cared for each other. It may be of this moment, or it may be of another, but you'll see him in your dreams."

"You sound certain."

Richochet blinked and gave a tired half smirk. "I am, Ranmaru-kun."

Ranmaru stared at her in contemplation and then looked over the cliff.

"I think you're right. Let's go back."

She nodded, staring down the cliff for a moment more. '_Neji…?!_'

'**Neji has been taken by Tenten, so do not worry.**'

'_Hmm..._' She decidedly ignored the clenching fell of her stomach twisting as she heard of Tenten and Neji in the same sentence.

Richochet turned away and walked to the opposite side but was stopped.

Ranmaru was looking forward, holding her hand tightly, blushing.

He reminded the lightning Jinchuuriki of her twin sister when they were little, making her smile faintly.

"Thanks." He squeezed her hand.

She simply squeezed back.

"Here." Ranmaru gave her the other sword which she accepted slowly.

"You sure?"

Not like it mattered whether or not he wanted her to have them since she'd take them anyway, but what the hell.

"Y-Yeah."

Walking forward she noted Naruto was watching with wide eyes at her motherly side.

"Coming dead-last?"

"I'm NOT dead-last… TOKOOOOO!"

"Stop taking the piss out of my name!"

"AHAHAHA! TOKO! TOKO! LALA LALA TOKO!" Naruto starting running in front of her and making faces at her while he ran backwards.

Richochet stopped and crouched down, gesturing for Ranmaru to go on her back. Doing so quickly, he held her around the waist and neck as she sprinted after the fox.

"Prepare to die, fox!" She charged at him with a wide smirk.

Naruto shrieked like a girl and raced off. "Catch me if you can WEASEL!"

"Oh I WILL! Stop taking the piss outta my name!"

"NOPE! It's the only thing that seems to piss you off!"

"Grr…"

Ranmaru gulped and ducked his head into the back of her neck. '_Scary…_'

* * *

. 

"Ha! I won!" Naruto crowed in delight as he triumphed over her.

"Oh shut up." She muttered to him. Kneeling to the ground, Ranmaru dropped off of her back gently. "I'm just…" She yawned loudly, putting a hand over her mouth as the others gave her amused looks.

Richochet glared at them, arms crossed, until they turned away.

Apparently, they'd never seen a person _yawn_.

'**My apologies, pet. However, I will not let whoever catches you be electrocuted. No, it is not your third illness. The lightning tail held that off for at least a few weeks now.**'

'_Huh…?_'

Richochet felt a burst of tiredness hit her and she closed her eyes tightly. She stumbled as they began walking into the shop, Karashi holding the door open for them on the outside. The fifteen year old let his eyes widen as she collapsed and fell to the ground heavily. He caught her before she smacked against the cold concrete floor of the store and gasped at her weight.

Weights!

It had to be the reason she was so heavily draped across him.

He picked up an arm and winced.

Those were weights all right.

However, he blushed as he felt her chest breathing in and out against his.

"O-Oh crap… U-Uh, guys?"

Neji's senses tingling, like pins and needles in the back of his head, made him turn away from Lee's joyous shouting to stare heated holes into Karashi's back. He barely accepted Naruto near her so there was no way he'd let his pupil be touched by some rank amateur like Karashi.

Grabbing her from the boys' tight and unsure clutches confidently, he strode back into the shop, demanding a place for her to lie down as the other three worriedly looked on.

Karashi, on the other hand, couldn't stop blushing as the feeling of her against him didn't stop plaguing him. 'Soft…'

Neji glared back at him before walking up the stairs to give her a place to sleep so he could look after her.

'_Stupid boy with his stupid hormones touching her vulgarly with his stupid hands._' He scowled as Sanshou took out a spare futon and he placed her on it after she laid it out. He nodded to her as she left.

"Always you, isn't it?" Neji poked her heart shaped necklace. "I wonder why people respond to you so fiercely in their reactions..."

"I'm just that good..." She mumbled in her sleep.

Neji twitched before breaking out into a rueful smile.

"Could be that..."

* * *

. 

"Sanshou-baa-san?"

Sanshou looked up at the five who had their bags on apart from Richochet who'd left hers at Konohagakure no Sato, a day later. "Oh are you leaving?"

"We're leaving." Richochet nodded to her. "Keep up the good work."

"Yes, thank you for taking care of us." Neji added on to her, giving her an odd look. He was wondering why the usually laidback girl said something so… nice. She usually initiated arguments and not compliments. He shrugged it off, thinking it because of letting her heal there.

"Look after Ranmaru!" Naruto chimed in happily.

"Oh my! As an heir to the making of my curry of life, you can bet he will be looked after!"

Tenten beamed. "Ranmaru, Karashi, work hard, okay?"

"Okay." They both nodded.

Ranmaru jumped out and hugged Richochet tight. He moved back and then made a motion with her hand for her to duck down.

Confused, the lava eyed girl complied with a raised eyebrow by crouching down fluidly. "Yeah?"

He quickly hugged her tightly, nuzzled into her neck and then pecked her on the cheek as a small kiss before running to the bathrooms, completely embarrassed.

Richochet gawped at the boy's back as surprise ran through both her and Rokubi at his daring stunt.

Did he just…?

'_Holy Shit. He just…_'

'**I can't believe anyone but your chosen would actually like you.**'

'_Eh? Chosen? And whadaya mean anyone but the chosen would like me? You bastard!_'

Rokubi merely laughed.

The old lady laughed as the others stared at Richochet, blinking that she didn't hit him or anything. Neji however, was glaring after where the kid had run off to.

"Looks like he's found a big sister! Or maybe some puppy love!" Sanshou patted her on the shoulder. "Be sure to come and visit. Ranmaru will be especially happy."

Naruto snickered and nudged her. "Aww - _ACK_!" He scowled at her for jolting him with her lightning. "Meanie!"

"Take a hike." She said between gritted teeth.

"I've made a special batch for you four! Richochet, I remember you gave out your bottles of strawberry milk so…" The old Lady turned and looked to Karashi who nodded and went to the fridge, taking out two bottles and moving them from side to side at the black haired girl.

Richochet gave a surprised look, eyebrows raising. Wow… They were really thoughtful. "I… Thanks, you two." She said as she took them from Karashi, who rubbed the back of his neck with a blush.

"I-It was nothing… Though it'd be nice if you'd um, I mean, if you all would visit…" Karashi smiled gently at her and she blinked before nodding once, wondering why the hell his cheeks were pink.

Neji scowled and closed his eyes. Exactly why were these two acting so weird around the little weasel holder? His student? They can't both like her. She was a sneaky arrogant brat of a menace to be around.

…

…So why was he getting annoyed again?

"Sure Karashi-kun!" Lee said energetically as Naruto nodded before slinking next to Richochet.

"Ooh! Ooh! I want one! Richoooocheeeeet!" Naruto pleaded, grabbing onto her baggy jumper and tugging. "Pleeeease?"

"No." The vessel smirked at him.

"Aww…" He moaned.

Rolling her eyes, she looked to Neji, knowing Naruto wouldn't try to take it if she gave one to him to hold. "Could you put this in your bag?"

"Hn." He took off the bag and held it open.

Pushing it in past a spare set of clothes to be washed, she closed his bag for him. "Thanks."

"It's fine." He muttered, putting it back on his back as Tenten, Karashi, Sanshou and Lee looked at the food on the table while Naruto pouted at her and then glared at Neji. The Hyuuga just smirked back.

"Hey, try the batch!" Sanshou said.

"Whoa…" Tenten said and moved back, arms up defensively. "Is it supposed to be that shining spicy red colour?"

Richochet raised her eyebrows and looked at the red and white dish. It certainly was very red. It looked… ouch hot. And not just ouch hot red but OUCH HOT red.

"Doesn't it look DELICIOUS?!" Lee crowed happily, eyes wide with delight.

"Seriously?" The others spoke in unison, looking at him in disbelief, making odd positions.

Neji quickly made up an excuse. "If… we don't hurry back, uh, Tsunade-sama will get angry."

Naruto ran over and opened the door. "Ah! That's right! It's a real shame, but we gotta leave now!" He pushed Richochet out seeing as she wasn't going quick enough and both Neji and Naruto grabbed Lee, leaving Tenten and Richochet behind as they raced away.

Tenten called out to them. "Wait up guys!" She gave an annoyed look to Richochet. "Boys. I swear…"

Richochet nodded, rolling her eyes at their retreating backs.

"Ah, let's go get them, then."

Lee was whimpering as the two girls caught up.

"THE CURRY!!"

Richochet scrunched her nose. "That… that _**stuff**_ would've _**killed**_you. What _the hell_ is wrong with you?"

"It was given out of the _goodness of their hearts_!"

"Spare me." She snorted and went back to trail behind the group on her own. "Spicy foods suck…"

Neji looked back at her and rolled his eyes with a little smirk. '_Silly weasel holder._'

'**So, he knows I'm within you… And doesn't seem to mind.** **Let's review, ne? You landed here and have been for three months, having landed in December and it's now February. You've been learning ninja arts with Neji as your teacher, and a number of people know I'm within you. Not so bad so far. Just work on your attitude.**'

'_Attitude? My attitude is fine, stupid weasel._'

'**Arrogance and brashness. Contradictory and philosophical. Isn't that just great? It's a good thing we're having you trained as a ninja or we'd be screwed. If anyone kidnapped you for my power they'd regret it with your rude insulting mouth and kill you off.**' Rokubi noted with a chuckle as Richochet scowled.

'_And she likes to tease me._' Naruto added as Kyuubi listened in.

'**She's got an addiction to lemon pops.**'

'_She can go out of it sometimes and forget I'm here to cheer her up!_'

'**Uncaring.**'

'_Lazy._'

'**She likes to argue.**'

'_Likes to piss other people off._'

'**Stubborn.**'

'_Doesn't like asking for help._'

'**Brat-ish like you.**'

'_HEY!_'

'**I AGREE, ROKUBI.**'

'**Ha! I have someone on my side!**'

'_KYUUBI!! YOU TRAITOR!_'

'_SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU TWO!_'

'_**Meanie.**_' Rokubi and Naruto pouted.

Richochet smirked in pride.

'_That'll teach you to point out all my bad sides. You didn't say one nice thing about me._'

'_Ne, Rokubi? What's nice about Richochet?_'

'**We'll have to figure that out someday, kid.**' Rokubi chuckled and Naruto grinned mischievously.

'_Just ignore them Richochet. Ignore them._' She thought to herself, irritated.

The whole time, Neji was in front, wondering if Richochet's voice in his head was real or not.

Great, now he was getting as disturbed as she was.

Brilliant.

* * *

This was fun to write. I got a little edgy at the fight scenes, but all in all, I think I did well!

Thanks to all of the people reviewing once again and to all those who added me to their Alerts/Fav's! (Bow gratefully) You have my thanks:D

Next chapter, we introduce a new character who I hope you'll like.

Ten words.

_Kage Bunshin. Pacts. Hanabi. The History of the Demons. Favourite's._

See ya next time, and please leave a review on the way out!

* * *

**R.**

_

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_


	18. Chapter XVIII

**The next won't be up for a while, my apologies. So I got this out early for all of you.**

_My love and hugs go to..._

_Frozen Tempest - Moogle In Paradaisu - Mair 9512 - Nara Yingyi - -Asa-Hoshi- - SilverMononoke - Zero Asakura - Neko of Light - P260 (x2 ch.13 and ch.17)_

**I liked this one. Very Much. It's one of my favourite chapters to write. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

**

* * *

**

"_Look, Rokubi, you want me to do this? Then let me take some thinking time, yeah?" Richochet glared up at her demon companion in annoyance, ignoring the separate training Naruto was doing with Kyuubi all the way over to her right. _

"_AIEEEEE!!"_

_It sounded painful if the girly shrieks were any evidence._

_The demon scowled down at her, and she was hard pressed to shiver but held it back, and just glared at him. Then he huffed at her oddly creepy yet steady gaze that she had._

"_Very well." His booming voice sounded out through their void._

_Richochet sighed as she sat on the ground._

_She was trying to do the Rai Shunkan Ido (Lightning Instant Transmission Technique) that was available only to her and Rokubi… and maybe her family if she ever got one again. It was irritating though. _

_Basically, she had to encircle herself in a ball of electricity like Hakke Kaiten but then compact it so it didn't spin but rather shrouded her in chakra like a huge hamster ball and blitz herself away through the air for five seconds before disappearing in the place she chose in her mind. _

_Though the place had to have been somewhere she'd been before and one she knew well. An example of which would be the Hyuuga Estate or the Konohagakure no Sato forest simply because she appeared in this world at that particular place and the Estate since, obviously she lived in the Hyuuga Estate._

_This was why she couldn't use Genjutsu – all that ability was sucked up for one instant technique._

_Honestly she didn't mind especially with the bonus of Rai Shunkan Ido. Since it was the 'ultimate' Genjutsu technique she could do, it would break through any other Genjutsu when she used it, dispelling everything around her with the sheer power she'd have to put into it._

_But the second stage of this technique, since the first was getting enough power and she definitely had that, was compacting the energy into the ball without rotating it. Which was difficult since all chakra moved naturally and she had to still it. So, how to do it? How do you stop energy from moving the way it wants to?_

_Richochet exhaled in annoyance as the answer refused to show itself. Looking up at Naruto, she blinked. He was pushing away the Kyuubi's gigantic, dangerous clawed paw while the Kyuubi pushed down. It was a standstill until Kyuubi pushed harder._

_The fire fox demoness looked over to her and smirked before turning back as Naruto pushed out even harder than before, growling with the effort he had to exert._

_That was it!_

_If she pushed her energy one way in its natural spin and controlled that, then gathered energy to spin the other way as electricity as she pushed it out of her like a reversed Hakke Kaiten… It was confusing and a little unrealistic as she'd have to control two energies at the same time… But heck. This was a demon technique so demons would be expected to have such control. She'd do it, damnit._

"_It's about time." Rokubi said down to her as she finally performed the second stage. "Good, little one. The third and last stage is the second easiest to do. This is because as you've never done Genjutsu it'll be trickier on top of this part. You must actually feel as if you're in the place you want to be."_

"…" _Richochet frowned in thought but nodded. "I'll try it then."_

"_So, you've learnt all about being a half demon. You've been taught all of my attacks even though not using many of them. All you need to do is practise them. It's a good thing the mind doesn't need to rest like the body does. I have barely any knowledge on your human hand seals and jutsu, being a demon, all I had to do was use tails, claws, fangs, strength, speed and electric to get my own way. The only thing I can do with electric jutsu's is imitate them without the seals and pass it on to you, as long as there is electricity around."_

"_Pity." Richochet muttered. "So what next?"_

_Rokubi lay down and grabbed her clothing by a single claw and dumped her in between his front legs. "History lecture. It's desperately needed before the third illness. I can't believe I didn't tell you sooner. Did you know us Bijou were created to keep you humans in line? We were given our tremendous powers over elements to stop you from gaining too much power. We're here to keep the balance of power. In fact, we are always reborn by the Higher Beings to go into this world and eventually be sealed. A never ending circle."_

_Richochet settled in his golden fur. "So you're controlled… don't you feel as if you want freedom? You have all that power… for it simply to go to waste in us?"_

"_What you don't realise, little pet, is that being in you as a sealed being is freedom."_

"_What?"_

"_In the outer world, as soon as we're 'born' so to speak, though we really just appear, I have no control over myself. Do you know what that is like? To be trapped in your own body, watching yourself kill and promote mayhem and death… It is like screaming at yourself and not having your body let the sound out. Like when I killed you off. What you don't realise is that when I'm in you, I can do _anything_ I've ever dreamed of as long as _your_ imagination knows of it."_

_Rokubi decided not to tell her exactly _what_ he had done in her mind._

_It'd scar the girl for the rest of her life._

_Well, maybe not scar _her_ but others yes._

"_Damn…" Richochet whistled, oblivious to Rokubi's thoughts._

_Kyuubi lay down next to Rokubi, shifting slightly to dangle her tail to Naruto, grabbed him from the floor and put his small body between her front paws. "We also get the chance to have someone take over our duties so we can finally rest."_

_Naruto, who'd been listening, spoke up. "Wait, you mean you're not just some wild blood lusting beasts? You were human once too and that someone chose you?"_

_Kyuubi bared her gigantic teeth at him. "We are blood lusting beasts, when we aren't sealed. That or we're sleeping until someone disturbs us from our sleep which is usually because we have to wake at that time to do our jobs once more. If not captured we're put to sleep and hidden somehow." She added on thoughtfully. "We weren't human. We're the first there is."_

"_So you've been living over and over and over again and you remember each life, dattebayo?"_

"_Correct."_

"_Cool!"_

"_Hang on… 'take over our duties' did you say?" Richochet let the implications roll into her mind. "You're making us... do this…? You're making us become crazed full blooded demons?"_

_Kyuubi and Rokubi looked at each other. _

"_I know I'm turning her half demon to help this world with that deed… What about your little Naruto?"_

"_The same, friend."_

_Rokubi looked down to the angered looking girl. He gave a weasel smirk. "Yes, when you've finally hit your third illness, I'll only be seeing you in the dreams to train you. Seeing as then you've taken my demonic power into you… Oh, I can't say for that one. There are rules to these things you know." He said to her expecting look. _

_Kyuubi looked down at her companion. "Same for you, brat. You'll have me for a couple more years however. When you've then done the job we have given over to you-"_

"_Job? What job?"_

_The fox flicked an ear in an unconscious sign of annoyance. "You'll know when you get to it. Our job was to just find those who'd do the job for us this lifetime since we're not human. We've been waiting to find you for many rebirths. Well, we could have chosen others, but Rokubi chose Richochet for the deed and Naruto, you've been the greatest one to apply for the deed so far, so I chose you. We thought it'd be best to keep you two as close friends to help you both."_

_Richochet and Naruto looked at each other grimly._

"_Is there a way to get out of it?"_

_Rokubi looked at Naruto as he asked that question. "There is a way to stop from becoming like us, fully demon, without being sealed. However, you cannot stop being half demon. That's already working in your body." _

"_It started in you first Naruto." Kyuubi added as she lay her head down to look him eye to eye. "On that wave mission when you unconsciously accepted the decision to become one. You didn't realise it, but wanting to save others had started the boost. Usually those who start off as wanting to kill will never get this chance to become powerful. Ichibi will have a slight chance if he does something that isn't like him before the age of fifteen."_

"_So we've been forced?" Richochet said in annoyance and then turned to Rokubi. "And if we wanted to save others, how the hell did I get the chance to become a halfie?"_

"_Your 'Shoko' when she committed suicide was the beginning step." Rokubi answered her. "You wanted to save her. And being nice to others like Hinata was even better. I chose you because as well as the potential to become truly great and the potential to have true kindness, you also had the perfect characteristics of leadership, honour and insightfulness."_

"_The exact same for you Naruto, but change the potential of true kindness to truly cheerful." Kyuubi smirked at his put out look. "It's what we demons like to see after all this rage and insanity even if it is something we like instinctively, ne?"_

_Naruto screwed his face up. "That's great and all, but how do we stop the bloodlust crazed full demons, dattebayo?!" He frowned. "I don't want to hurt innocent people."_

"_You've already started that too. Don't worry. Richochet, Naruto. The reason you aim so high is because of being accepting of the demons within you and accepting their instincts on a subconscious level." Rokubi spoke with a glint in his lightning blue eyes._

"_Naruto you aim to become Hokage, not for everyone to see you, but for everyone to acknowledge you as great. Richochet, it's to my knowledge you've also always aimed for great amounts of territory, a business to rule over instead of being ruled over by your Grandfather. Start buying lands or smaller villages that are desperately poor and finance them by stealing from bandits and gaining their trust and build from that." Kyuubi commanded of her and she nodded. "Naruto, you've got it easier if you want to become Hokage. Getting land is hard without starting a mass of disputes."_

"_Sounds good. I like a challenge." She smirked. "I'll make sure to stay near Naruto's territory of the village hidden in the leaves, Konoha. Naruto, we'll become our own power, yeah? I'll back you up."_

_Naruto frowned. "I don't know… I'll think about it. I like the idea but…"_

_Richochet knew he'd come around sooner or later so didn't mind too much. "Don't think too much on it, Naruto-bro. You've got a couple years before you reach your demonic time." She shrugged._

"_So…?"_

_Naruto and Richochet gave each other hard looks before sighing._

"_Well, alright." Richochet conceded. "I'll become half-demon to help you control your 'balance of power' thing. But the whole full demon thing? Screw you. Your higher Being can create a new demon. Or…" her eyes lit up. "The Youkai clan we've been thinking of will help in return for each child of ours being half demon. Yeah! Get that Higher Being to come visit me and we'll talk business!"_

_Rokubi and Kyuubi looked at each other. _

_Kyuubi said with a smirk glowing on her lips. "She'll have her own little kingdom to rule over to sate her demon instincts… There'll be demons to uphold the balance…"_

_Rokubi smirked. "It just may work."_

"_Though they'll have to make sure they don't breed too quickly somehow…"_

"…_But it just may work." Rokubi finished off. "I like it."_

_Naruto turned to her. "If this stops us from being demons that kill everyone…" he took in a breath as if he knew he was going to regret it. "I'm for it. Let's keep this between us four though, ne?"_

_Richochet nodded and they both stood up, ready to do more training._

_Rokubi and Kyuubi looked up at the same time and Richochet and Naruto took it as their time to wake up._

"_See ya!" Naruto waved happily._

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet snapped awake. Her first thoughts were on the Rai Shunkan Ido. She _had_ to go try it now. Getting up, she eyed a spare set of clothes that were nice and clean on the side as she yawned. Rubbing her eyes out of sand, she grabbed them, tugging the black underwear on first and wrapped her chest with bandage before looking at what she held. They weren't her normal clothes, that's for sure. 

It was like the new top Neji had yet to wear at all times in the Hyuuga Estate except, there was a button on both sides of the shirt and it came around her upper arms instead of over her shoulders and the sleeves flowed to her knuckles. It also ended below her ribs. There was a long fishnet that was tight around her body and came to her elbows, though hidden by the kimono-robe like sleeves apart from where it wrapped over the shoulders. There were some black shorts, tight as well, that came to above her knees, and a skirt that was like the one Neji had over his own clothing.

And yes, you had to call that thing a skirt. It was also white to go with her top. There were some shiny black ankle boots with an inch heel to go with it. There was also a white choker to cover that fur around her neck which she tugged on straight away. She had to wonder where the practicality – something she put high on her list - had gone with these. It was freezing out there. She looked to her door but then saw a parka with fur on its outline, like Hinata's except longer to her knees and purely white.

Shrugging she tugged the shorts and skirt on with the boots and was about to go for the fishnet top when the door was knocked at and was slid open.

Hiashi blinked at her before looking away while Neji stiffened and stared at her half nakedness. Hiashi muffled a laugh in his throat as he caught his nephews' stare. "My apologies. I didn't mean to intrude upon you in your state of undress."

Richochet shrugged again as tugged on the fishnet top. "No problems. I don't mind. So, what's up?"

She grabbed the top and stared at it in confusion before looking at it in realisation. The front was plated on the inside with protective metal and another layer of cloth. Shifting, she noted it was the same with the skirt, it was just her weight training hadn't made her realise it. The buttons held that up to connect with the back. Since hers was the female version, the metal didn't go all around but was implanted on the front and back.

"I was told by my youngest you'd take her out."

Richochet didn't stiffen in shock or frown in confusion though she was suspicious. Hanabi wanted to go somewhere with her? Richochet grabbed the I-Pod Mizu had given her, not having used it much since she'd got it. She put it in her skirt and plugged the earphones into her ears.

"Yeah. Though I might get to know her. I forgot to tell you that… Good thing she didn't." Richochet lied smoothly. '_She so owes me. What the hell does she want to do anyway?_' She smirked at Hiashi. "I know Hinata and Neji well enough, ne, Neji?" She winked arrogantly making him glare back. "…I was kidding, already."

'_I really gotta learn more about this social shit to stop pissing people in my good books off._' She thought wryly. '_Or maybe this is just Neji? Or guys in general? I dunno…_'

Neji merely crossed his arms over his chest. "Whatever."

Richochet snickered and looked away thoughtfully. "My influence must be good if I get you to sound like me. However, back to Hanabi. Well, as much as I like using money I didn't earn for myself, I asked her if she'd wanna come and get some lemon pops with me or something. Seeing as it was me she agreed, of course."

Neji rolled his eyes. "Yes, lemon pops in winter." He smirked, making her twitch and glare at him. "Sounds obvious. Can't believe I didn't think of it before."

Hiashi sighed and decided to interrupt before they got into some argument. "I take it you'll look after her."

Going to the bedside table with a drawer, she took out a purse out and closed the drawer, giving Neji one last glower before turning it Hiashi. "As much as I can in the hustle bustle of The New Year of the Ox, Hiashi-sama." Richochet grabbed her parka and shoved it on, putting the purse inside the pocket. "Is she ready to…" Richochet felt the heat ray through the wall of a small girl. "Oh. There she is."

Hanabi was hidden in her own parka, a shy smile on her face as she looked at her, father, cousin and his student. "I'm ready!" She announced and Richochet nodded.

"Later people."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"What the _hell_ are you playing at?" The Seishou asked the Hyuuga suspiciously as they broke into the shopping area of Konohagakure no Sato. It wasn't busy, but it was busy enough for the two Gentle Fist users' tastes. 

Hanabi frowned. "I wanted a break."

The elder girl suppressed a twitch. Her voice darkened. "Don't use me again. Got it? I _will_ deny next time." She stared down the girl who nodded in understanding. "I'm not your sister. Just because I'm nice to her doesn't mean I'm nice to everyone."

"S-Sorry."

"How old are you anyway?"

"Ten… Eleven soon… In March on the twenty seventh." Hanabi said slowly, looking around. She hugged the coat closer to her to keep out the coldness. How the other girl had her coat undone with those clothes on was crazy. She'd freeze to death in those. It made her look a couple years older though.

"Favourite flower, colour, person, weapon, best memory and worst."

Hanabi blinked in surprise but answered. "Ugh… Tiger lily… I suppose it'd be dark purple and white… My favourite person is no one though I admire Hinata for always trying… My weapons preference is staffs… My best memory is finally getting the Juken correct and the worst is… Breaking my leg and staying in hospital for more than two weeks when there was some kinda medical crisis."

"Daffodil. Sunset colours and whit-ish colours. Neji. Don't say anything about that. Fists. I got my own place and lived how I wanted. Having to eat something I didn't want to."

"Why are you asking me these things?"

"So we successfully trick your father. AND I'll feel less guilty at telling you to piss off." Richochet spoke and then muttered after Hanabi's shocked look. "I do have a conscious, no matter how suppressed. Now. PISS OFF." Richochet put a hand on the girls shoulder, let some chakra fill a lesser important tenketsu to keep a track on her and pushed her away firmly.

Hanabi glared at her, barely feeling anything unusual in her system.

Richochet just glared but twice as harsh as hers. "I have to train. Meet up in five hours at the green shop with the vines all over it. It's a café place opposite to Ichiraku Ramen. If you can't find it I pity you. There's an idiot who goes there everyday at two in the afternoon when not on missions."

'_You there Naruto?_'

'… ' He snored.

'_Gotcha._' She thought to herself sarcastically as she turned and walked away slowly, lazily.

Hanabi smiled clandestinely in satisfaction and walked away as Richochet looked at her back from the corner of her eye.

This was what she had planned all along.

Fool the father, ditch the unwilling guard and have some fun on her own instead of studying.

It _really_ got boring after a while.

She jogged away to get some more distance from the slightly creepy and arrogant girl, feeling safer already. Hanabi never really felt good around her; hunted was the best word for it. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of it, but then pushed it out of her mind as she strolled to the ninja shopping section.

Richochet followed the girl's movement secretly. There was no way in hell she'd have a head of clan trying to kill her for her lack of attention with his daughter. She said she'd look after her – not really, but still – and she would.

It was all fine and dandy for the first amount of hours as Richochet went by rooftops making something of a mission out of it to prepare her for when Richochet would join Anbu. It was her desire to become a Hunter-Nin. Hanabi, as a kid with _the Byakugan_, would make a fine unknowing person to keep track of.

She just had to make sure to stay out of distance when that Byakugan went on at random times. She could feel it with her very small drop of blue chakra in the kid's shoulder as it was so near the head.

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**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

The Hyuuga child, deciding she ought to do something attached to her career to be, opened up the door to a ninja weapons shop, hoping to start mastery over a new weapon for future use. 

As soon as she walked in however-

_BAM!_

"Owch…" She mumbled, pearly white eyes narrowing at the pain and the coldness of the snow. "…"

Hanabi was about to insult the person who dared to bump into her when a tanned hand, distinctly masculine and also calloused with training, put itself in her view. Thinking that it was beneath a Hyuuga to show disgust at being offered help, she grabbed it, her hand being engulfed by the warmth it radiated.

As soon as she was up, she patted herself down and then looked up into eyes. Warm brown eyes and a caring face stared back at her in apology and the term '_puppy love_' ran through her head as a dashing smile came to the mans lips.

'Whoa…' Hanabi thought in shock. 'He's so… attractive.' She blushed a bit before looking away.

"My dear, I am ever so sorry for smashing into such a delicate beauty such as you so roughly." He sighed in disappointment at himself. "A thousand pardons, my lady." He bowed to her with an elegant bend of the back. "One hopes you forgive such brutality."

Hanabi blushed deeper and fiddled with her fingers. "I-It's fine."

He chuckled, a nice baritone sound that she delighted in. "Ah well. Let me get you a hot chocolate in apology, hmm?"

The Hyuuga knew not to go with strangers, but she was a ninja! She could take care of herself. And anyway, he was so… so… well, so something good… "O-Okay…" Hanabi mentally berated herself for such stuttering. A Hyuuga was better than to stutter… minus her shy sister. A cheeky smile crossed her lips. "But you better get me some dango too."

His brows rose in surprise and he ran a hand through shining coal black. He had thought she was a shy little thing, but this cheekiness was something he could take enjoyment in. "Of course, little lady, it'd be my pleasure." He said suavely, voice lilting musically. "I'm Mark Greenwood in my villages language, but in this language it's Aomokuzai Rakuin. It's an enchantingly brilliant day when I get to meet one such as you."

"Hyuuga Hanabi."

They entered the shop – which also happened to be Richochet's favourite shop for one reason only – and sat down at a table, waiting to be served.

Mark… Hanabi thought it sounded as though it came from the same language 'Richochet' came from.

Yes, she knew Richochet was from another world. The main family and Neji knew only, apart from Naruto, Mizu and the Hokage of course.

Hmm…

"Are you from another world?"

Her company blinked at the question and gave her an inquisitive look.

"I wonder why you'd think that, little lady."

Hanabi just smiled innocently.

"Since you're that handsome I'd have thought you something akin to an angel, is all."

He smiled warmly, a small redness tinted in his cheeks. "Here I was thinking the male part was supposed to say such things." Mark winked at her playfully. "How amusing and wonderful that is."

"What village do you come from then that has a different language, if I may enquire?" Hanabi asked politely. When she had told her name, she remembered that she was a Hyuuga, one in line to be heir, and she had to act accordingly.

She couldn't help it when she slipped into a girlish role around Mark though.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

On the outside, Richochet couldn't help but shudder as she watched down from the roof, chakra pulsing to her ears. 

How sickeningly sweet this scene was.

Her eyes narrowed at the scene. "I don't trust him. Not one bit." She muttered to herself. "I wonder why…"

Though, the question Hanabi said was one to take note in.

It was obvious she knew Richochet came from another world, but did Mark _really_ come from her old world?

And if so, did Shinigami-sama make a deal with his family too?

'**He's no holder of a Jinchuuriki.**' Rokubi said in her mind. '**There is however, a dark summoning pact Fuuin jutsu on him. You may have animal summoning pacts natural in this world, but dark summoning pacts are the things that get one from one world to another. You had a demon in you, so it's different and it was also a deal with Shinigami-sama too.**'

'_What kind of dark summoning pact?_'

'…**Vampire-like almost, but not. This is a female summoned pact on him.**' Rokubi answered. '**There is blood infused for this one too… he must have done most of his half of the bargain already to get it. These take years. If he has come from another world, it was when he was a child and he may or may not remember being from another world.**'

Richochet leaned forward against the side of the roof, staring up at the light sky as people passed by below her to get New Year gifts for loved ones.

'_Curiouser and curiouser._'

She'd have to keep an eye on this one.

That's for sure.

Whether he was to be even slightly trusted o not was yet to be known, even if Hanabi was struck in love with him.

Yep.

You guessed it.

Love at first sight.

Well, that's what Ero-Sennin would say, at least.

Speaking of perverted old men…

She glared up Jiraiya as he took notes from another rooftop, staring at her through a golden coloured telescope.

"Ero-Senniiiiin…" She growled warningly, electric pulsing over her. "Take that thing and point it _away_ from my chest. Or it'll get shoved up your _dick_, got it?"

Jiraiya paled until he was almost the same shade as his old team mate.

"Yes, milady…" Then he brightened. "Who would my little student be spying on, hmm?" He jumped onto her roof and look down through his telescope in interest. "The young Hyuuga Hanabi, eh? A stunning beauty when older, to be sure."

"I'm looking after her. She set me up to get a break from her studies, but I went along with it and warned her off doing it again."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Children seem to look up to you."

"Then they've got brilliant tastes for a role model." Richochet replied dryly, much to her teachers' enjoyment as she put a hand on her hip.

He laughed heartily but then stopped. "Hmm… It seems that young man is from…Yes, I see." He closed the telescope and shoved it in his pocket abruptly. "That man is from one of the decimated villages after Seven Tails destroyed them. He's a homeless-nin. You can tell from the blank slate of his hitae-ate. This means he'll do jobs from different villages and no one can accuse him of being a missing-nin and kill him without evidence."

Richochet looked back down at the four or less years older male next to her temporary charge. He seemed as equally as liking of Hanabi as Hanabi is of him. "He's getting awful close for such a short time knowing her."

"Ah… What's his name? Did you get it?"

"Mark Greenwood. It's a name from a language spoken back home and it is also in my old world. Though, his name in this language is Aomokuzai Rakuin."

"Really? I've heard of him. He came from one of those villages where… Oh my…" Jiraiya said after a pause. "That's not good. For you if papa Hyuuga happens to find out..."

"What the hell's not good?" She said in boredom looking back at the shop. "It can't be that bad."

"Well, the village had a, how would you say it?" Jiraiya smirked, perverted. "A high mortality rate, meaning that… they wedded young and gave birth young. And you can't take such thoughts out of the mind quickly."

Richochet turned her head and stared at him, a black eyebrow raised. "Even if their six or seven years apart and she's barely hitting puberty?"

"Even if."

"Ah shit." Richochet sighed, irritated and crossed her arms. "Hiashi's gonna kill me if I didn't watch her better and she found herself a god damned husband. Hanabi doesn't seem to care either though... Huh."

"Are you going to go get her then?" The Sannin asked.

"In a minute." Richochet answered and gave him a suspicious glance. "Why're you here?"

"Naruto is supposed to be on a mission. Just a little scroll delivery."

Richochet scoffed rudely. "Yeah right, Ero-Sennin, but whatever. You have any scrolls to give _me_? Say… a handy jutsu?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes with a smile. "We didn't get to the Kanashibari technique, did we?" He opened his jacket and took out a scroll. "I even wrote it up for you, kid. And I was nice enough to add another jutsu too."

"Cheers. What is it?"

"Lightning… Ninpou: Raigeki no Yoroi." He handed it to her proudly.

"Cool…" She replied vaguely, staring at the scroll in her hand for a moment before tucking it into her parka jacket. "Well, we both have business. See ya round, old man. Thanks, yeah?"

"Later, kid."

"I'm NOT a baby GOAT!"

He just laughed and jumped away as she glowered after him.

"Annoying bastard…"

Turning back down, she watched as they left the shop to go to the weapon shop once more.

"Bullocks. What did I miss? Bah. Stupid lecher."

Blinking, she felt her mind link with Naruto tug and a new set of tenketsu warmed against her, much more familiar than those walking below her without a care in the world but to get from A to B.

Naruto jumped over the roofs to her, face in an unusual scowl. "Something's not right." He said to her.

"You feel it too?"

"Yeah, 'ttebayo." The blonde looked down at the place she was staring at. "When the picture of _him_ came to my head from you… I mean that new guy Rakuin."

Richochet finally let her eyes drift over to him. "You think it has something to do with what our demons were talking of a job…? When Jiraiya was here, the only thing he went on about is him being homeless-nin. He didn't feel anything wrong."

"Definitely." He nodded solemnly, putting his hair out as his clothing of orange stretched up to allow more movement. "It's the only thing, isn't it? I heard you speaking to Rokubi earlier… Pacts are confusing things."

Richochet just smirked in amusement. "Yeah."

"Oh yeah, I figured something out too. You know Kage Bunshin and how we have this massive load of chakra from both us and the demons and stuff?"

"Mm." Richochet raised a brow.

"Well, I found out that Kage Bunshin also take in information and when you poof it away, the original is left with all the information! Do you know how much training we could get in if we do like twenty Kage Bunshins?!"

Richochet turned to him as realization came to her face. "And since we're always connected via mind link and have shared information with each other… We could send each other the useful information we learn without even realising it! Holy shit! Naruto, move your arse to the library when you come back from your mission and start reading as many things on being a ninja and all that jazz! You brilliant, brilliant boy, you!"

Naruto blushed a deep, profound red as she hugged him tight, which was very un-Richochet like, and dashed off eagerly.

Well, maybe not so un-Richochet-like, especially when it comes to training. He'd been brushing off on her for that pointer.

"Oh yeah, I'm brilliant!" He hopped up and down in joy and the compliment from a sincere Richochet. Then he stopped as something came to mind form her hurried speech. "Wait… what mission?!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"…So, I think that's why you should take the Naginata as your choice weapon, little princess." Rakuin's voice drifted to her ears melodiously as if he were singing rather than speaking. 

Hanabi nodded in agreement and beamed up at him. "Yeah, I think so too. Hey, when can you teach me?"

Rakuin smiled back at her genially. "Anytime you want, dearest one." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll even buy it for you."

Someone coughed and smacked his hand away.

"Not this time." Richochet said irately and began pushing the poor girl away and out of the shop, much to the bemusement of Rakuin. "Shit, kid." Richochet said angrily as she pulled her down the road with a hand around her upper arm, the other holding a bag full of library books. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Hanabi scowled at her and tried to get away and back to her new friend. "What? Let me go!"

"No, you brat! He had you wrapped around his little finger! And you didn't realise either." Richochet stressed, wondering why she was overreacting. But hell if he didn't give her a bad vibe. "You're a ninja in training!"

Hanabi honestly didn't care.

If she could just see him one more time…

Richochet carried on, regardless of her dreamy eyed gaze. "…Your dad would be on so many levels of pissed off right now if he knew he was around you if he had my eyes on top of the Byakugan… Fuck…"

Hanabi suddenly jolted back down to earth from cloud nine. Her father… He would be furious.

The Hyuuga deflated and realised that Richochet was frightening when pissed, especially when her eyes glinted with that malevolent look of rage and irritation. She shuddered, dread tingling down her spine as the feelings of 'fight or flight' overcame her. Killer intent was leaking from her minutely, but even that was enough to put the usually calm Hanabi in shock and fear.

"S-Sorry."

Richochet paused in her aggression but didn't slow down the pace, reeling in her killer intent.

"..Just watch out for him. I've got a bad feeling about him… and with the people I knew back when I was a kid, a bad feeling is hella bad…" She shook her head. "Just be suspicious about it. No one just offers to teach someone and even buy them a fucking weapon so they can see you again and again without an ulterior move in it. You're a Hyuuga, remember what's happened before, and remember what bloodline limit you hold. Got it?"

Hanabi realized what she was saying was true… but the way Rakuin had looked at her and smiled with that tint of kindness… she was getting pretty damn confused right about now.

Stupid feelings.

"Yeah…"

Arriving back at the home, Richochet put back her arrogance over her pissed off mood, a smirk on her face as she let go of Hanabi. Hopefully, she hadn't bruised the girls' upper arm with her strength.

She sighed cantankerously and held the lower arm of the bruised limb. "If it bruises I'll heal it."

Hanabi smirked, thinking they'd found something of an understanding. "You better."

The Kazangan wielder smirked wider. "Just don't get on my bad side." A cruel tint came to her lips as she bared her slight fangs and squeezed warningly. "Or we'll see how many pieces a bone can break into."

Hanabi shivered and nodded, grabbing her arm back from the dangerous being anxiously as they entered their home.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Neji stared at the girl who was in the courtyard under that singular tree and there were fifteen Kage Bunshins just _reading_. 

Reading of all things!

He'd _never_ taken her for a book person.

Then there was the other five Kage Bunshins running around in laps with extra weights doing hand signs for the different jutsu's he knew her to have.

It was crazy in the Hyuuga household lately.

Not only that, but there was Hinata with a Kage Bunshin also and reading two books, though there was strain and sweat on her brow. It was no surprise though. The sheer amount of chakra he'd known Richochet to have was equal to that of Naruto.

And _that_ was immense.

Then she whistled. He caught the running of one of those damn weasels of hers running to see what she wanted from playing in the corner with the other six from the corner of his eyes.

It ran towards him, passed him and went inside the house as she continued reading happily. No, contentedly. Richochet didn't do happy. Two minutes later, the weasel was pulling three lemon pops out. It stopped next to Neji, put one down, purred and nudged its' head against his ankle and then dragged the other two in their wrappers to the girls.

Neji bent down to grab it and stared at it.

Yes, it was real.

No, he didn't just imagine that.

"Can't believe I live with this…" He muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead and giving a dry look to the Lemon Popsicle after the relieving action. "She's turned this household upside down with her arrogant boldness."

Despite that little fact, the Hyuuga Genius couldn't deny to himself that he looked forward to these little things. It made his life a little more, well, _fun_ to live out. No matter how much he would glare and complain about it, those closest to him in his life seemed to subconsciously, or perhaps instinctively, know that, actually, he secretly enjoyed this.

Not that anyone spoke of it, but still.

Unwrapping it and placing the wrapper on the tray next to the drinks, he noted that five had already been eaten if the sticks were anything to go by. Smirking in amusement, he turned to the liveliness in his courtyard and walked over.

Reaching them, Richochet shifted over closer to Hinata and poofed away the clone that'd just finished her loaned book about 'Medical Jutsu and Medicinal Herbs Not Widely Known' and patted the space next to her.

Neji took it and sat down fluidly with his left leg lying down while his right was propped up, leaning forward, an elbow inclining on his knee. "Care to explain, student of mine?"

"Kage Bunshin. Basically, it was brought to my attention that, if you could use blood and bone copies, why not use the brain in the clone? Then you'd be able to drag in more information at the same time while concentrating on many things at once. This'll triple my training as another certain party brought to my attention that I'll forever remember a jutsu because of a certain tenant. I told Hinata and now you know." She looked up at him briefly before turning back to her book on 'Chakra Control' again. "Keep it to yourself though. We don't want more people cottoning on."

Neji stared at her before looking at the many copies of her doing many things. '_Not too bad an idea._'

Richochet rolled her eyes, sticking her lemon pop in her mouth. '_Of course it isn't._'

He turned to her, snapping his head to her, staring at her intensely. '_Did she just…?_'

"What?" She asked, staring at her book.

"Do you know telepathy?"

Richochet raised a brow as she looked at him and obliged an answer. "I can do a mind link with a chosen person if I make a blood alliance, but no telepathy without it. Naruto and I have one, by the way. We can read each others thoughts, but if we're concentrated on something else completely we can block each other out."

Irritation immediately settled over him at the thought of them sharing something he knew many thought of as intimate. Including him. "You would, wouldn't you?" He muttered.

Richochet snickered and turned to her borrowed book to escape the evil glare he was currently giving her. "No need to be jealous, dear…" She mumbled, noticing the flush on his face at the end of the remark and smirked. "Think of it this way, you and I don't need a link to know what each other is thinking." The 'Lightning Mistress' stared up at him from under her lashes. "Isn't that even more of a… freaky thing to know?"

Neji sighed and leaned against the tree.

"Maybe."

Hell _yes_, it was.

He just didn't want to say it out loud.

She smirked at him, finishing her book and putting it on his lap. "Did you know healing chakra is converted not by any chemical or physical manifestations but rather by good thoughts and the will to save another and adding chakra to the mix and having the control? Apparently, to this book, women are more pure in thoughts then men and that's why there are more female healers. Bullshit if you ask me. This book definitely had a feminist female or naïve sexist male who authored it."

"You? Good thoughts?" Neji raised a brow - in disbelief, Richochet noted - and lifted the book, opening it up. "You don't exactly lie but… Good thoughts just isn't you."

Richochet sweatdropped at the truth in his words.

"Charming."

He just smirked up at her before looking down at the book.

In the background, Hinata was just smiling at their argumentative flirting, enjoying the cool breeze that cooled her warm sweaty skin from the exertion she was putting it through. This would help her with greater control and larger capacity.

'_I wonder when they'll get together…_'

The shy girls smile went just that bit bigger at the hilarious yet somewhat serious thought.

* * *

I posted early. Why? I was originally going to add onto this but it was pushing over seven thousand words... Too much, basically, when I could simply add another chapter.

Anyway, I do hope you like this character. He belongs to Zero Asakura. I'm just stealing him right about now to use for my dastardly plans in the Naruto-universe. He's a complex guy in this fic, just wait and see. :) Oh and it will most likely end up HanabixRakuin for a twist. Hopefully. ;)

Ten words.

_New clothes. 'New Pet'. Mission. Deidara. Animals. Hinata-Hiiiime. 'Persuade'._

* * *

**R.**

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	19. Chapter XIX

**I put this up a week early. Y'all better love me for this. I took time that shoulda been used for sleeping since I get little these days.. (grumbles)... s'not fair... Anywho...**

My Hearts and hugs go to...

_Zero Asakura - Frozen Tempest - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Neko of Light - Moogle In Paradaisu - NaraYingyi - Silver Mononoke - BloodZephyr - Masked Ai - Gumio1 - LilMeika - Bloody Moon Rose (x3 Ch.5 Ch.7 and Ch.18)_

Have Fun! And seeya downtown. XD!

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

**

* * *

**

Tsunade pursed her lips as she looked at the two, two weeks after the Raiga mission when both had done some petty D-class missions that ticked them off.

How the hell could you call _weeding_ a mission?

_Chores_ were the more appropriate term for it.

Lazy-arsed civilians.

Do your own damn house work.

"Do you think you could do this?"

Naruto and Richochet looked at each other from the corner of their eyes in amusement.

The Hokage raised her brows slightly.

It was as if they were sharing a secret.

She leaned back in her chair to study them as they silently communicated. When Richochet had first gotten here with Mizu, a couple months back, she'd been a scowling prideful arrogant brat of a girl that looked like she'd been pulled through the ringer, twenty times, backwards. Now she seemed almost…

…Comfortable. More warmer. She was still arrogant, and the bored stance of confidence backed that up easily, but just… less so. There was still this aura of danger though, just dimmed down.

Naruto, when she'd first met him, had definitely been a freaking idiot. And such a little monster, not in terms of demons, too. Yet when the determination to pull off the Rasengan had blasted through and whammed that silver haired, glasses wearing bitch of a servant Kabuto, then it hit her in the face that he was no ordinary kid.

Keh.

As if the clothes didn't give it away.

She could've sworn he also had some hyperactive disorder too. But that was him being a show off. With Richochet next to him, standing completely at ease, she could tell they held great affection for each other. They complimented each other quite well. Naruto's flamboyant style with random bursts of intelligence topped with Richochet's sly yet in your face style with odd moments of deadliness that backed him up made a huge impact of power. The right level of training and some time and they could become a force to be reckoned with.

"Of course, old woman!!" Naruto proclaimed, with a fist. "We'll deliver the scroll and at the same time, I can visit Tazuna, that damn bridge builder! Kirigakure's not that far away, you know!"

"I'll look after him, Hokage." Richochet smirked arrogantly and put a hand on his head, mussing up his already wild hair. He protested loudly, trying to fend her hand off, but she kept moving her hand around.

"Alright, alright!" Tsunade put a hand up, but it didn't stop the two who were now on the ground tussling, which seemed to be an increasingly done movement between them.

"Give up, TOKO!"

"Don't call me Toko, dead-last!"

"Oi! Damn Genin's!"

"I'm not a _dead last_! You arrogant-"

"Big words from such a peewee BRAT!"

"I'm not a brat damnit!"

"HEY!" Tsunade stood up in anger and slammed a raging fist onto her table, creating a loud crack that made them stop and stare at her, before standing back up, as if nothing happened. They looked at her expectantly. Her eye twitched. "Grr…"

They smiled innocently, well, Richochet smirked and Naruto grinned.

"Just… Here." Tsunade held out the scroll and Richochet took it. "It's the latest peace treaty to Kirigakure. They've rejected the ones beforehand… so this is the last of them. Just make sure that if he, and you must always call him Mizukage-sama, doesn't agree, that you leave straight away to come back here. Do you hear me? _Leave straight away_."

Richochet cocked her head to the left as Naruto copied subconsciously, but projecting more confusion than his weasel counterpart.

"EH?!"

"No stopping for nothing unreasonable!" Tsunade demanded. "No lemon pops or ramen stops either!"

There were loud protests from Naruto and glares from Richochet as they showed their immense displeasure at the turn of events.

"WHAT?!" The blonde yelled in disgrace, appalled he wouldn't be getting his ramen if he didn't fight for it. "You can't do that! And you won't know if we do either!"

"I want this quick and painless." Tsunade sat back in her seat promptly, silently worried for them both, but wanting to see if she could finally call off the Anbu from Richochet and trust them both with such things. "This mission will last one week approximately. You have prepared bags and pouches here." Tsunade motioned to the two bags, one orange and the other dark red filled with the basic necessities. "Take the same route you did from the mission with the Nuke-nin, Momochi Zabuza, that you defeated, Naruto."

Naruto puffed up in pride as Richochet rolled her eyes at him, laughing internally. "Sure thing, old lady!"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched again. "Don't call me an old lady, damnit!" Her fists clenched as she scowled at them with her pretty and unblemished face that held no wrinkles.

Damn that Genjutsu she had on!

Richochet wanted to know what the hell she looked like.

Probably some ugly old hag.

Talking of looks, Richochet had changed her clothes. Instead of the usual spaghetti strap black top and shorts and baggy dark red jumper, she was wearing some new clothing courtesy of the Hyuuga's.

More specifically Hyuuga Hanabi.

God _bless_ that girl.

Note the sarcasm to it.

There were only a few articles to it yet the articles were definitely that of a kunoichi. The hitae-ate was secure around her forehead, her now short hair came to her shoulders, spiked down and out harshly with flares of reddish gold like that of a sunset as an under layer while the top stayed black and flowing down softly, reminding the Hokage of a character out of a manga she had read once, Fruit Baskets.

The top she sported wrapped around her neck, hiding the fur, coming to her upper arms and completely missing her shoulders to end before her knuckles. Some kunai that she couldn't throw too well, despite her talent at blades, were stuffed up there in case of emergency and were poisoned with paralysis liquid. It then carried on as a top that fell to just above her belly button, also covering her back but missing her shoulder blades as it began underneath. The top was also dark red. The middle of it piece was clipped together by black hooks, squishing her developing breasts together to make them seem larger as the curves of them were seen through the small gap.

The bottoms were the normal standard issue except skin tight and stopped just below her knee with little slits that came up to above her knee on each side. There was a square cut out over her weasel tattoo that now doubled as a quick summoning, right next to it was a small part of a shuriken broken off and inserted into her hemming so she could slice a thumb and summon with all due haste.

Despite looking 'hot' for the first time in her life, she felt like a hooker. The look Naruto had first given her was enough to prove it, and he was her adoptive brother of all things...

The first thing he had commented on was her arse when she had turned around with a hand on hip. He got a sock in his eye for that. It was a nice shade of purplish-black by the time they'd gotten to Tsunade, but, unfortunately, the old lady took care of it.

Naruto must've entered his puberty for sure, since he had filled out in the couple months she'd been there. He was wearing a tight black top that showed off his buffed chest and had actually, due to Richochet's demand, lost the orange outfit.

Instead, he also wore standard issue shinobi wear trousers with gauze around his shins and ninja shoes of black colour were tied on. He also had Richochet - who had then pushed Hinata into doing so for her who then did it for Naruto - put a part of a shuriken to cut him along his waist line. He too wanted the bonus of not having to bite himself to summon now he had the fox tattoo – which also had nine blazing fire tails compared to the six erratic thunder bolt ones on Richochet's weasel tattoo - on his hip.

A baggy dark blue long sleeved jacket that was reminiscent to Jiraiya's without those embarrassing circles where women's breasts would be dangled on his shoulders comfortably. Though he demanded to have orange on the inside so he could turn it inside out and wear it like that when in Konoha. After all, he told Richochet, he had a rep to uphold, no matter how troublesome it was. It also hid the metal armguards with weights on both that helped his speed. He had some weights on his legs too. He made Richochet do the same.

So both had armguards, which either held a weasel or a fox with their amount of bijou tails in silver (he _borrowed_ some of the money Hiashi had given her for these types of things), weights attached to them and hitae-ate's on their foreheads. They also had cloaks on them, borrowed from some Hyuuga, as it was particularly cold in Kirigakure.

Tsunade was pleased.

They both looked like professional shinobi.

All they needed was the right attitude.

Huh.

Well.

We're screwed there, then, aren't we?

"I see you changed clothing, both of you."

"Yup, yup! I like my jumpsuit, but I was mauled into these." Naruto pouted at his companion and the girl merely smirked back triumphantly at him, preening slightly at the 'thanks' she'd gotten mouthed to by Tsunade-baa-san.

"Nice hair by the way." Tsunade nodded to her.

"I dyed it." Richochet lied smoothly. "Naruto's growing his out longer." Naruto grinned, flinging an arm around her shoulders as she then changed topics. "Can I bring Hinata?" Richochet asked innocently and the blondes blinked at her.

'_Why?_'

'_I think Hinata could get something out of this. You know how she's always so unconfident?_'

'_Yeah. Her stuttering is kinda cute though._' Naruto grinned wider at her amused look even though there was a hint of blush on his cheeks. '_I think I kinda like her._'

Richochet nodded, wondering if she should tell Naruto the news everyone but he knew when it came to Hinata and her infatuation.

Nah.

When Hinata got the confidence she'll tell him… Or when Naruto liked her more he'll get her.

Tsunade looked down at her list of other missions for a few moments wondering if this would be a good idea. A pro to this would be that sending the Hyuuga Heiress would show how serious she was and it could help Hinata's confidence being around these two on a mission where they had to trust each other. A con would be that other mission may come up unexpectedly and the Hyuuga girl had become quite powerful as of these few months…

The Hokage eyed Richochet and Naruto. '_Probably Richochet training Hinata when Hinata trains Richochet… And I've seen Naruto and Richochet around each other a lot… So these two… I guess Naruto depends on Richochet more than each will ever know… The same the other way around also… Their happiness… Depends on each other…_' Putting down the list she nodded to them while hiding her shock of this sudden realisation. "It could prove helpful somehow."

"Yeah! We have Hinata-chan!" Naruto cheered and Richochet smirked widely, high fiving rather reluctantly when Naruto put his hand up and motioned for her to do so.

Tsunade ignored them. "Grab them and go. You leave at noon. Be pleased about this since this is a C slash B-class mission. Hmm... Richochet is the leader." She ignored Naruto's moans of annoyance. "Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, _old lady_!" The two chimed, grabbing their bags and dashing off before she could attack them, laughing at her.

Maybe it wasn't so good to put them together.

Naruto had gotten Richochet cheeky and Richochet had just made Naruto slyer about it to make it that much sweeter.

Ah well.

* * *

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* * *

"T-To Kirigakure?" Hinata said shyly. 

"Mmhmmm." Richochet nodded absently, packing Hinata's bag for her, making sure she had everything that Richochet had in her own bag as Hinata helped by giving her the things while she put it in the bag. "I chose you to go with us since I can trust you and I also think your abilities would be good for it. You've learnt to speak in front of groups right?"

"Yes…" She nodded in agreement. "I keep stuttering in front of those I don't really know, but I can give good speeches. It's something father isn't disappointed in me about."

Richochet looked at the blue feeling Hinata. As a person who had never really disappointed that much since she knew she had the strength and confidence, she'd never been in Hinata's position. She peered down at her bag again, not exactly sure what to say.

Stumped was the one word to define how she was feeling perfectly.

"Your father seems disappointed in a lot of things you do." She stated solemnly.

"I-I… try… I-I r-really do…" Hinata sniffed, eyes tearing up.

Eyes were the windows to the soul…

Richochet compared their eyes. Lava and lavender. One see-through, the other molten rock. Soft glass and hard intensity. If they were from the same family, why weren't they the same? Why did the Byakugan skip the colour gene of the Kazangan while Sharingan took it fully and darkened it?

Could Hinata and Neji even use the Kazangan one day if Richochet was starting to develop the sight to _see_ the blue pulses? She couldn't see the veins that chakra flowed through, and never would, but could she somehow get Hinata to be able to see the blue light pulses and _feel_ them?

"You can be strong Hinata. Keep trying. It's all you can do."

Hinata wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, looking mildly pretty and fragile to Richochet.

'**Maybe we should have this one **_**and**_** the cousin to go along with it…**' Rokubi purred at her, trying to ignite some fantasies in his carrier as he made her chakra charge to the more _sensitive_ parts of her body.

With control, she only patted Hinata on her head. "On this mission, I'll be teaching you some of _my_ specialties. You need to be more gymnastic instead of just flexible for my lessons... And the lack of ability in the Byakugan may stand for you being able to use my Kazangan since my own bloodline limit is between Kazangan _and_ Byakugan these days…"

Hinata looked up in shock and then nodded with a small smile. "Yes… sensei…"

Richochet just winked with a smirk.

Rokubi growled in her mind. '**Let's keep her? Please? Wouldn't it be great to start a new clan?**' Richochet paused at that thought as Hinata closed the backpack securely. '**We… could call it the 'Youkai Clan'. After all, in a few days, when the third illness session comes, you'll have to start merging with me a little, so your small body will be able to handle my power fully infusing with yours.**'

'_Infusing? Listen, you annoying weasel, what the hell do you think you're doing? Merging _already'

Rokubi snorted at her attitude. '**If you want to survive the power I have to give you to keep us **_**both**_** alive, you will merge with me as soon as possible. Naruto will go through the same thing. Nothing much will change, no random tails spurting or weasel ears popping up. Well, you've already started the colour merging with that hair and nails… That's all really… I believe.**'

Richochet felt like ripping out her hair. '_You've already killed me off. Do you really think I want to become something that killed me?_'

'**Deal with it.**' Rokubi mockingly added. '**You'll have demon blood.**' Then he baited her. '**This is all for your benefit. Don't you want power? Don't you want its' comfort and safety?**'

'_Yeah, but-_'

'**No buts.**'

'_Doesn't mean I'm happy with it. Ya hear?_'

'**Indubitably.**'

'_And tell me more of your clan idea later…_'

Rokubi smirked. The fish was caught on the bait.

Feeling a little more under control and less unstable, she turned to Hinata. She ignored the worried look. "Ready to rock?"

Hinata blinked at the curious expression, but nodded.

"_Where_ are you going?" A cool and calm voice asked lightly and the two faced Hyuuga Neji. Hinata started playing with her fingers as Richochet looked at him with a face of boredom, though sparks of mischief lit her eyes when she saw him.

"Oh, I don't know, say, a mission?" She said sarcastically. "I mean, we're really packing to stay in this room despite the fact there's a kitchen down the hall and stuff."

"Quite." He replied dully, raising a coffee coloured brow. "Who's going on this mission then?"

"Hinata."

"Just you two?" Neji frowned slightly. That was an unwise idea indeed. Though it was likely she wasn't telling him the other person on purpose. It was just her way of irritating him successfully. "I don't think so."

"Naruto's coming with us."

Neji's eyes narrowed at her.

Richochet had always found it somewhat amusing that Neji seemed to get ticked off for him being around her. Though, it was the same way when Lee and Shikamaru were around her. His overprotective and jealous streak both entertained her and aggravated her. Her independent nature clashed against it, while her vulnerable side cherished it.

And she wasn't one to admit she had a vulnerable streak.

"Hey, don't be frowning at me, _boy_." This made Neji twitch and her smirk widen. "Tsunade asked for us two, so there. Get over it." Then she shrugged coolly. "Anyway, Naruto's a good guy. What's wrong with it?"

"Firstly," Neji began, always enjoying a light argument with her. "I am _older_ than you, so don't call me boy. Secondly, I don't trust the boy to look after _my _student and _my_ family's heir and cousin. Thirdly, it doesn't _matter_ Naruto's a good guy. His impatience makes him something of a distraction to the mission."

"It's just us delivering a _scroll_. It won't take longer than a week." Richochet retorted, pulling up the bag in one hand and moving over to Hinata. Quickly stopping next to her, she turned the girl around and tugged on the bag for her, pulling her arms through.

Neji smiled in amusement at this.

Mother hen or what?

She didn't even realise it.

It was very odd for the uncaring girl to do this around others. For example, when he went to train with Lee and Richochet that one time after the… apparently fake 'dating' outing that was really a ruse Richochet did to piss him off, she never helped Lee up with his crutches afterwards. It just didn't seem to be her style.

Maybe only around those she called family.

Opening her hip pouch, she slipped her gloves out and tugged them on, clenching to check them. Nodding in satisfaction, she put her hands down to her hips. "We'll be fine. Idiotic bandits and Nuke-Nin will fall at our Gentle Fist. No probs."

If you wanted to get Neji off of you, you'd praise something that he likes to divert his attention.

Neji narrowed his eyes at her again.

Warning; it didn't always work.

Richochet huffed, blowing up some fringe.

Ah well.

She turned to Hinata and pointed a thumb at Neji. "You deal with this overprotective arse."

"Brat. Respect your teacher." The Hyuuga boy warned as he walked over. Bowing over a little, he kissed her forehead, shocking both into silence. "Be safe." He abruptly looked away and walked out of the room, ignoring both girls, except to give a little frown to Hinata which she nodded to.

Richochet turned disbelieving eyes to Hinata.

"He did _not_ just do that."

"It's a Hyuuga custom to kiss the face of your student when they leave for a mission without them to go with you. One that hasn't been done for many decades." Hinata repeated with a very stunned voice and look and Richochet raised her eyebrows.

'**She didn't even stammer that time.**'

'_Yeah._'

'_That shows equality of the two in question given by the teacher… which is a lot for Neji-nii-san._' Hinata looked away as she put a hand up to her lips. '_But if you did that as a branch member and on the_ forehead_… In the Hyuuga main family line… He's claimed her for courting._' She shook out of her surprise at Neji's actions and walked to the door. She turned back with a shy smile as she opened the door.

"Coming, C-Chet-chan?"

"Sure. We'll get you to not stammer yet…" Richochet smirked at her lazily.

Hinata just smiled bashfully.

* * *

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* * *

Naruto glared at Richochet as she walked lazily with Hinata to the Eastern Gates of Konoha, lemon pops in her mouth and hand while Hinata held one also. 

"Please tell me you didn't make me wait for you because of those pops, 'ttebayo."

She shrugged. "Maybe…"

"RICHOCHET!!!"

"What? I got you one too."

"Huh? Really, 'ttebayo?! You giving me one?! That's not like you!" Naruto looked up in surprise as he took it from her hand and grinned at her. Then he shook his head and growled at her. "That's not the point! You're still late!"

Hinata cut in as a chuunin, Izumo, came up to them and coughed. "G-Guys? Our passports…"

Naruto forgot about the fight as he grinned at the Chuunin. "Thanks, dattebayo! We'll need these! Here ya go, Hinata-chan, Richochet-chan!"

The Chuunin waved to the three passes that were handed out. "Keep 'em safe!"

"We will! I'm gonna be the Hokage of Konoha one day, so I'll need to keep my- ACK! Richochet!"

The two-toned haired girl gave him an annoyed look as she pulled him off. "We gotta go. It'll look bad to Mizukage if Konoha's Nin's are late and give them another reason not to sign that treaty with us. Ne, Hinata-hime?"

The Hyuuga heir blushed prettily at the nickname as she nodded. "Y-Yes, you're r-right."

Naruto pouted but nodded as they jumped away into the trees to get a head start. The trees became denser as they got deeper into the foreboding looking forest but it didn't matter, it just meant more places for the Genin's to jump to and from.

"Ne, ne, Hinata-hiiiime! You know about the Mizukage cause you're an heir right?" The blonde spoke up enthusiastically as their speed picked up, getting used to the foliage around them.

"He's got a point. I have no idea what to expect from this mission." Richochet admitted grudgingly. Naruto snickered at her as she glared back at him. "Shut up, Naruto. Tch. Damn brat."

"W-Well, Mizukage-sama is known for his greediness. It's why Kirigakure is underprivileged in its small villages." Hinata fell into her thoughts as she became less stuttering in her speech. "While the hidden village is very expensive and beautifully decorated, everywhere else in the country suffers because of it."

"So, we're dealing with a pig." Richochet stated bluntly. A smirk crossed her lips. "What about the other Konoha Nins who went before, did they act nicely to him, trying to get him to join us in peace?"

Hinata blushed as she realised she had been talking freely. Oh, if her father had heard her… She shook her head. He wasn't here, was he? It didn't matter. "Y-Yes. Most peace treaties go like that, but only because the other side wished it so."

Richochet didn't like that. It wasn't her style. "This time, Konoha will… _persuade_ him to joining us."

Hinata gasped at such implications while Naruto just frowned in confusion.

"P-Please re-reconsider this way, captain." The girl implored her slightly taller friend.

"How else do you deal with these types of men?" Richochet pointed out as she jumped off a particularly large branch. "We need to threaten them somehow, but saying it innocently as well."

Naruto looked uneasy. "You sure? It _is_ a peace treaty."

"Yes. Hinata-hime, what types of things do they hold over us? Commerce? Medicine?"

"It's… the other way around."

Naruto and Richochet looked at her in disbelief.

"And they still haven't signed yet? They're stupid! Dattebayo!"

"Quite." The weasel demon holder added dryly. "So why…? I don't understand."

The forest eventually began to space out and they noted it when the trees became fewer and fewer and more distance and chakra was needed into jumping.

"Mizukage believes Konohagakure no Sato will take advantage, when really, Kirigakure no Sato get the better end of the deal. As soon as we get back and confirm the peace treaty has been signed and agreed upon, a convoy will bring back some gold which is usually part of the deal to seal it." Hinata worried her bottom lip. "In the past however, a third party will disagree and try to start war by…"

"…By?" The other two asked together.

"Killing o-off those w-with the m-money… or those sent for the p-peace t-treaty in the f-first place." Hinata sighed as she finished, glad to get it off her chest.

There was a silence as the other two processed it.

"Thanks for telling us Hinata-hime." Naruto said absently, picking up Richochet's nickname without thought. "We needed to know that, dattebayo. So really, thanks." He gave her a huge grin.

Hinata thought she would have fainted by blood loss since it all went up to her head. "N-N-Not a p-problem, N-Naruto-kun."

Richochet ignored it.

'_This is worse than I thought. I'm not used to ninja mission like these. Peace just isn't my thing. But, for Konoha I guess, if it will keep those I like safe._' She thought looking at the two. She gave out a low animal call and six weasels instantly appeared by her side.

Naruto noticed this and looked away form the oddly attractive Hinata to call his own friends. Nine foxes of large stature, all a dusky reddish brown, soon were running underneath them through the grounds, tails covering the tracks as they brushed leaves and dirt to hide the evidence they were there in case they were being followed.

"Hinata, during the time we go there and back, I want you to stay on the back to look for enemies with the Byakugan." Richochet commanded and turned to the blonde when she nodded. "And Naruto, use your foxes noses to keep a scent out for any approaching dangers as well as enemies. Also, we want to stop when it gets dark to get camp. I'll get the weasels to keep a few paws out for vibrations for enemies as well as now though while moving it won't be as effective. You hear that?"

"Yes Captain!"

The weasels and foxes barked in approval when Naruto explained it to his own furred companions.

"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered.

"Since it'll take a strain on her chakra by doing this while we do nothing but keep an eye out, Hinata-hime will sleep all night and we'll take turns keeping watch at night, as well as the animals. You take first watch, okay? Good." She added at his thumbs up and looked to Hinata. "Don't overstrain yourself, Hinata-hime. We'll need you in battle since your Juken is greater than mine and you've been learning some minor healing jutsu's too."

She gave a warm smile and nod to them both. "I-I'll do my best, Richochet-sama." She teased lightly by adding the 'sama' suffix as Richochet was being a bit more serious than what she was used to.

Richochet just stuck her tongue out.

She was still a kid after all.

Naruto snickered again. "Richochet sounds _smart_ and _serious_ like for once. I'm severely impressed."

"You've been listening to your fox in your mind again, huh?" Richochet smirked at his confused look. "Since you never knew many words with more than two syllables in them before."

"HEY!"

"What? Truth hurts, you know."

Rokubi smirked in her mind.

That'll come back to haunt her alright.

"OI!"

Hinata smiled at their sibling like behaviour.

* * *

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* * *

Later on, with no ambushes – as of yet – the trio stopped in a very small clearing and Richochet looked up into the trees for the one with the biggest knothole in it. Nodding to herself, she jumped up and peered into it and grinned. Perfect. 

Then her Kazangan came into power as she felt a new person watch them. She stilled, still grinning that she found the place of rest to make it seem as though she hadn't felt him or her, feeling out the chakra. Her nose twitched. Blood. A moment went past, but the chakra then dampened as they hid the aura of their chakra.

But… the aura of the chakra wasn't angry or filled with want of death for them…

Odd.

She jumped back down in front of them, ignoring the ache in her muscles, trying not to wince she spoke up. "Right. That knothole is perfect for us three with our small sizes." She put her bag down as the others followed suit, pushing them up against the tree.

"A tree?" Naruto said in disbelief. "There's no way I'm sleeping in a _tree_!!"

Richochet found her self feeling a little affronted, having enjoyed sleeping in them quite a few times. "What's wrong with it? They're safe, high up so we can attack them from below or at the same height for surprise attacks and they're very warm with the right amount of heating."

"I brought my tent though!" He whined.

"So? We'll sell it off and buy you some ramen instead." Richochet shrugged as if it solved the problem as she baited him with his favourite snack or ramen.

"But…"

"No buts. Hinata-hime's not complaining you know."

Hinata did look a little doubtful though.

"U-Umm…"

"Look." Richochet sighed, getting annoyed by the two's lack of doubt in her. "It's fine. With our body heat it will be snug and nice enough. It'll smell a little odd, but it will be safer than out in the open in tents, even with one of us up to wake the others."

That won them over.

"Okay, before we start, let's just go get food ready. I'll get to scoping the area, Naruto get's wood and some stones so the fire doesn't spread and Hinata, you set up the bedding in the tree. It's small but when we get used to each other being close, it's nice. Just trust me on that."

Hinata blushed wildly at the thought of sharing a bed with Naruto and quickly went to their bags to get the blankets they needed out. Orange, lavender and white came out as she jumped up to the knothole to take a look herself as well as to get away to hide her blush.

Naruto followed her with her eyes, hiding his own slightly red face at the thought of sharing with two girls. "O-Okay." He looked to two of his foxes. "Can you catch us some game? We can cook some for you guys if you want some more… No? Well, um, get to it, dattebayo!"

Richochet ducked down to her weasels. "Alright, guys?" They nodded a little weary and tired but still willing. "Okay, the real deal is you're not that strong so I'll summon a larger weasel to take guard duty with me. Maybe Kamatari. However, I still need you to help parole the area that I won't be in since I'll be in another area."

Naruto looked at the foxes. "Listen to her." The nine nodded and turned to Richochet, both of the Jinchuuriki trying to ignore how weird and yet how familiar it was to talk to them and order them around and actually have them obey without question.

"You two weasels go that way and two of the foxes go with them." She pointed south and the four ran off. "You two go that way and collect me some of those fruits in those pouch thingies you make." She pointed west, the way they came; knowing she saw some fruit and four went off again. "And you two and you two go that way." She pointed east. "I'll be going north on my own."

"You're pretty good." Naruto commented.

"Well duh." Richochet scoffed and stood up to give him a superior look. "Commanding people is easy and fun."

"Uh-huh."

"Anyway, Rokubi taught me some strategies."

Naruto sweatdropped at her. "I thought you were getting smart."

She snorted. "Let's leave that stuff up to lazy-arse Shikamaru and pinkie-fied Sakura."

"Yeah…" Naruto looked up at Hinata who had now finished, ignoring how she insulted his team mate. "Everything, okay, 'ttebayo?"

"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun. I-I added a Genjutsu on it so it doesn't seem as though we're in the clearing. Kurenai-sensei taught me." Hinata smiled shyly at their surprised looks. "I-If I shouldn't h-have…"

"No, Hinata-hime!" Naruto grinned at her. "That's great!"

"I agree." Richochet said more calmly. "Keep using your initiative, alright? It'll help us out loads."

Hinata's eyes lit up and she smiled happily.

'_She needs more confidence boosters like this._' Richochet noted thoughtfully. '_Naruto, keep complimenting her on things like these. It'll especially help from you._'

'_I will! I'll do it loads and loads and loads!_'

'_Well, I suppose enthusiasm is always a good thing…_'

'**She needs it.**' Rokubi added on, listening. '**Now go and start patrolling the area. That person you found has gone away.**'

'_Yeah, yeah._'

"I'll be going now. If you need anything Hinata just ask loud-mouth Naruto. He'll help you." She grinned at the girl mischievously before jumping away before Naruto realised what she said.

Naruto nodded happily, pleased for some reason. "Yeah, just ask… HEY!!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet looked around, a new weasel, brownish red in colour on her shoulder looking backwards, trying to see if there were no enemies. Looking down at the ground, she stilled at the sight of scuffed and half rubbed footsteps. 

Jumping down to the ground beside the marked ground silently, she noted the side and width. "A male, to be sure." Her eyes narrowed as other information got to her. "A ninja." She spoke out loud softly.

You could tell by the way chakra forced out from the middle to the sides at the sole and at the heel and marking the ground. The marks didn't go that deeply, so she supposed he was also young, though older than her by a couples years or so.

'**Hunter-nin. You should be a Hunter Nin. Neither I nor Jiraiya have taught you such things.**'

'_Its obvious things I've seen._'

'**Hmm, well, at least you aren't all incompetent.**'

'_Hey, damn weasel._' She huffed in annoyance. '_I have work to do here. He went… that way…_' She looked to her left and silently followed the random footed tracks with her eyes to a cave.

Walking over to it, she pushed aside the vines of ivy with a gloved hand and entered it slowly the other hand straying near the hip pouch with her blades. It was warm, signalling a fire was near or just put out but seeing as there was light, she chose the former. She stilled as the scent of blood enticed her nose.

'**Someone's either injured or dead**_.' _Rokubi said dryly.

'_And since I can still feel their life force, I'd say they were alive._' As she drew closer, laboured breathing came to her ears, as well as the crackling of a fire.

Her hand dropped to her side as she crept closer, seeing an injured male half asleep. Her eyes went to the headband of his hidden village. It was half hidden by his long blonde hair so it was hard to notice at first but he was... A ninja, and not just any ninja either. A Nuke-Nin from Iwagakure no Sato.

It seemed he had outrun the Hunter-Nin that were most likely after him. Or, at least, it was a possible answer.

She stared at him.

And stared.

And stared.

And stared.

Richochet scowled at not being noticed.

She kicked his foot harshly. He jerked up, kunai in hand but blinked at the girl in front of him.

"It's about time. I've been here at least five minutes."

His decidedly effeminate facial feature betrayed shock.

"I should capture you."

His hand gripped the kunai tighter, shaking a little from physical exertion.

"I won't though. With you like this?" She scoffed and crossed her arms. "It'd be too easy. I'd rather a challenge. Just remember that, girlie."

He twitched. "It's _Deidara_ and I'm a _male, _un."

"I know." She smirked and sat at the fireside. "It's just I also knew you'd get pissed off. I do it to my other friend sometimes." She thought back to Neji and his overly long hair. "Works like a charm. What happened to you?"

"I ran from my village a couple days back, un. Iwagakure wanted to use me for a suicide mission to kill your Hokage, un." Deidara said with a sigh, wincing as he sat up and leaned against the cold wall. "I didn't want to, un. The war would be pointless, even if Konoha was low on ninja because of that Sannin, un."

'**Hmph. He's actually telling the truth.**' Rokubi said. '**Demons can smell lies.**'

'_You just tell me that now? Ugh…_'

"Hmm… Well, go to Konohagakure and petition for passport there Nin-hood there." Richochet said dully. "You can tell the Hokage what's up in Iwagakure no Sato and stuff."

Deidara blinked his visible blue eye. "They'll think it's a trap, un." He pointed out a fault.

She gave him a hard look, wondering if she was nuts for going along with her sudden idea.

Then she realised she didn't care.

"Come with me." Richochet stood up and waited for him to get up, not helping him with his painful standing up motions because she didn't really care for him. His pride as a ninja wouldn't like it either. And she couldn't be bothered too. "Let me see the scroll with your mission on it."

The weasel on her shoulder jumped down and made some noises, biting his ankle when he didn't move. He narrowed his eyes distrustfully but pulled it out from a pocket in his Jounin top and tossed it to her, wanting the biting to stop.

"Stop that little one." Richochet said without thought as she caught it, unsealed it quickly and peered at it before locating the signed and stamped seal at the end. The weasel stopped her actions and crawled onto Deidara's shoulder, licking his cheek twice in apology.

Deidara just blinked at the animal and stroked it softly, admiring it clean and supple figure, though internally wondering why she would keep such an animal around her. It signalled death and bad luck, after all.

She felt chakra from the seal of the Kage and nodded. "Well, the seal of Iwa's Kage is real enough." She stated and rolled the scroll back before pointing it at him. "I know you're telling the truth and this is back up, even though I already believed you."

The Iwa-Nin slowly walked to her side, having picked up his back pack already. "How'd you know I wasn't lying, un?" He asked curiously, eyes playful and interested as he slung an arm around her shoulders. She sighed and wrapped an arm around his larger waist, gripping onto his hand with the other.

"I would've smelt it."

He stared at her in disbelief but she ignored it intent on dragging him back to camp if need be.

* * *

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* * *

"Eh, who's that? Who's that, ''ttebayo?" Naruto called as he saw Richochet hauling this taller, bigger, blonder guy than him to their camp. "Where'd you find - Gah he's a Missing-Nin! Did you capture him to get a reward? That's not like you…" 

Hinata looked up from her cooking of rabbits and raised her eyebrows in surprise but wasn't as shocked as Naruto. For all the bravado Ricochet put on, she really did look out or others. For instance, the Daimyo of Fire's child, Tai-kun, Ranmaru and Hanabi. Then again, certain people seem to flock to the girl. And it was usually those in need that did so. She had this vibe of strength and endurance that she hadn't felt before.

Naruto had something similar, but Naruto's vibe promoted those around him to be happier and treasure those you cared for as well as look up to him like Richochet's vibe.

It was a reason Hinata was in love with Naruto and why she cared deeply for her 'elder sister' figure that she put Richochet in.

"Guys? This is Deidara. He's our new pet."

"WHAT?!" Came three replies.

* * *

_So? Didja like it:)_

_I like writing Deidara. He's freakin' cool and he rocks and he likes art and bombs he looks like a blonde bombshell of a girl! Yes, bow to that little pun! XD! And he has his own personalised trademark saying! __How could you not love that?_

_So he kinda kidnapped our Gaara... He stil f-cucking rules!_

_Can you tell I like the guy a lot?_

_Anywho..._

Ten Words.

_Healing. Mizukage. Assassin. Mister Bingo Book. Clothing. Missing-Nin. Caramel?_

* * *

**R.**

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	20. Chapter XX

**Thisone's shorter than I planned 'cause the next one comes out veeeery soon :).**

_Hearts and hugs go to..._

_Moogle in Paradaisu - SilverMononoke - -Asa-Hoshi- -Bloody-Moon-Rose - Zero Asakura - Ugly.Beautiful - Gumio1 - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Devil Speaker - Neko of Light - lilmeika - technoluv (Ch.1 and ch.2) - Frozen Tempest - darklight - NaraYingyi - Hibiki-chan - Masked Ai - Thunder Ring_

_I GLOMP you all! XD! Un!_

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**Chapter Twenty**

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* * *

**

Richochet smirked. "Kidding, kidding…" She rolled her eyes impishly, still smirking. "Jeeze… Cool it would you?" Richochet pointed Deidara to a space next to the fire and took his arm off her shoulders. He did as he was instructed to do and sighed in pleasure at the warmth seeping into his cold body.

She looked at the other two, hiding her uncertainty since she'd never done something like this. "Okay, we've got three choices, is what I figure."

"T-Three choices?" Hinata asked and frowned as Richochet nodded before realisation came to her. "Oh, we either t-take him b-back n-now, take him wi-with u-us on o-our mission, or l-let him go."

"Correct. Good thinking, Hinata-hime." Richochet complimented smoothly.

She blushed and Deidara smiled at her cuteness through hazy blue eyes.

Naruto twitched for some reason.

"We also need to, whatever we do, get Deidara up to a level of health so he won't be a liability to us." Richochet said and looked at Hinata. "I'll heal him, so can you get the-"

"S-Sure."

Going over to her bag as Naruto followed her with his eyes and Richochet watched Deidara, she took out her medicine and some bandages from the medicine box she always brought with her. Closing her bag again, she walked over to Richochet and gave her the equipment.

She took it and nodded to the nearly cooked food as to which the tired but holding up Hinata smiled and went to it.

Naruto crouched next to Deidara. "What happened to you anyway, 'ttebayo?"

He gave a half-smirk to the blonde. "Hunter-Nin happened to me, un." He looked around the camp and frowned at the number of animals there. Six weasels and nine foxes... How strange. Why did something in his mind tug at him to remember something? Something important… "What's with the animals, un?"

"Protection." Naruto answered shortly, eyes narrowed to the side to judge whether he could trust this weirdo girly looking guy. Well, Richochet's teacher looked like a girl and if you dressed Sasuke up right and stuff, he'd go well as a girl too, like his brother, AND Haku was definitely feminine when he was alive, so he supposed he shouldn't judge on that account. "Why're you a Nuke-Nin?"

"I ran away because I didn't want to do a mission, un."

Naruto blinked and scowled. "Well then your not a-" He blinked as a scroll was shoved in his face by Richochet. "-Eh?"

"Read it before you embarrass yourself, please." Richochet said bluntly, ignoring his stuck out tongue.

Hinata smiled to herself as she served up some of the meat that had herbs covering it to make the taste stand out. If there was one thing Hinata was sure to be the best at out of the rookie's, it was cooking… And creating medicinal creams and liquids using the foliage around her.

Naruto read it as Richochet kneeled by Deidara and took off the ruined grey Jounin top and black long sleeved shirt by using another kunai since it was going in the bin anyway, apart from the Jounin top, showing off several kunai and shuriken wounds and one rather large burn. There was also something of a hole near his abdominals.

Frowning, she noted she wouldn't get in any training tonight.

Or maybe not even up to keep watch.

First of all was to clear these major wounds.

The burn and the hole first.

Taking out some salve, she liberally applied some of the cooling cream to the burn, massaging it in. The burn itself spread from his pectorals to his lower left hip and over some of the six-pack he had developed through training. To be honest, she had to keep herself from wanting to let her hands wander. He was quite the marvellous creature to behold.

"I think my burn is fine now, un." Deidara said in an oddly strained voice, making her pause as she stopped massaging his lower abdominals. He sat up and dragged the jounin jumper over his crotch, hissing in pain. "I need to have the hole in me healed, un." He lightly joked, making her quirk an eyebrow.

"Very well." A slight smirk pulled at her lips. Her hands turned green and a drip of sweat came with the effort. "It'd be easier if you lay down again... As in now, genius." He quickly did as she commanded, putting an arm over his eyes and he gritted his teeth.

Richochet concentrated with all her focus to heal him and keep from electrocuting him. This one wasn't half bad and nor was he annoying so she didn't wish any pain upon him. Yet.

This healing felt a bit like someone was touching him and giving him an electric shock that you get randomly when you touch a person but constant and not as shocking but more buzzing. Still he was getting healed but the previous healing was more soothing. Konoha-nin sure were tough cookies if they went through this all the time.

If this was their healing, he despaired to know what their Anbu choosing test was like.

Richochet wiped her forehead on her knee that she brought up a good ten minutes later and smirked when she finally saw the skin of the wound close up. Healing wasn't hard; it was just a lot of focusing and visualizing what you wanted to happen. Since she had a good idea of what the area looked like – killing did that to you – it wasn't all that bad. She didn't understand why the Medic-nins took so long to heal things.

Or maybe it was because of Rokubi?

Rokubi shook his head. '**Not me. I only heal you and me and some of our companions at quick rates. Everyone else can go die for all I care.**' He stated before looking at this human with curiosity through her eyes.

'_Agreed._ _But… Then how?_'

'**Maybe you have a natural aptitude for it? Females of your species have more control over their chakra, you just happen to have huge chakra reserves because of me and Shinigami-sama so it could have been done quickly because of that.**'

'_Shinigami-sama? What does he… or she or whatever Shinigami-sama is… have to do with it?_'

'**When Shinigami-sama strikes a deal, the energy it takes is immense and sometimes the energy to transport those from one world to the next gives you boosts because of his leftover energy that has to be put somewhere. Maybe you got lucky, maybe you didn't. Who cares? You've got it now haven't you?**'

'_Yeah, true say._' Richochet thought as the healing ended slowly, going over the over major injuries – like that stab wound in his side – with new found ease. The healing chakra flickered out of existence as she finished her healing. '_Wait. So to heal a wound you have to concentrate. For me to heal I have to not concentrate._'

'**Our link probably rushed it. More energy's were flowing when we do. Mine, yours, lightning and a mixture of ours.**' Rokubi pointed out. '**It'll be the same for the other jinchuuriki. So I guess the healing is because of us demons also. Interesting.**'

Naruto looked at her in veiled curiosity. Richochet always made odd discoveries like this. It was pretty awesome. '_HEY KYU-CHAN! Wouldja teach me some healing stuff?_'

'**OF COURSE, JUST REMEMBER THAT WHILE YOU WOULD EXCEL IN SHEER FORCE OF CHAKRA OVER RICHOCHET, HER CONTROL WOULD PUT YOU INTO SEVERE SHAME BECAUSE OF HER GENDER. WHILE YOU WOULD WIN IN GENJUTSU AGAINST HER, SHE WOULD DOMINTAE YOU IN TAIJUTSU. YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY DRAW IN NINJUTSU.**'

Naruto blinked. '_Okay! Teach me!_'

'**NOT NOW, WE DON'T WANT ENEMIES CREEPING UP TO KILL YOU. STAY ALERT.**' Kyuubi said as she padded in her cage in boredom. '**NOW RICHOCHET IS UNDER CHAKRA STRESS, YOU WILL HAVE TO STAY UP. ALL OF YOU SHOULD EAT AND REST. THE HYUUGA GIRL HAS THE LEAST ENDURANCE OF ALL OF YOU, TAKE CARE OF HER ESPECIALLY.**'

'_Yes, ma'am!_'

'_I'm done. Get us some food, would you? Cheers._' Richochet added on without thinking.

Naruto walked over to Hinata, who hadn't eaten yet, wanting to wait for the others instead. "C'mon Hinata! Let's eat! Richochet's done now! Right?" She nodded, helping their new blonde acquaintance up. "See! I'll serve up!"

"_Hinata_ will, greedy." Richochet said, giving the boy a look. "When we've eaten enough, your monster stomach will eat all the rest. It's lucky we have enough or we'd starve."

"I know, I'll cook some ramen too!"

"Y-you brought ramen t-too, Naruto-kun?"

"Only because I can't get enough of it, 'ttebayo!"

Richochet snorted and crossed her arms and legs. "I swear… you'll die of that stuff if you always eat it." She turned to Hinata. "Marry this idiot so he eats right, would you? You're the only one I see having enough patience to put up with him."

Hinata went fully red at the thought.

"I-I-I-I…" She looked at the ground, sweating, face fully red, but it was hidden behind her hair. Then again, you could almost feel it radiating from her.

"Hey, don't you go deciding my life, Richochet!"

"Stuff it Naruto." Richochet replied with a smirk and pinched his cheek. "I'm doing this for the good of your health!"

Deidara watched the interactions with amusement, a grin on his face.

Konoha Nins were funny.

"And talking of health." She carried on; putting a hand in Naruto's face and shoving his head back so he fell to the ground. "Now we've healed this new member to our entourage, what to do with him?"

Naruto got up and glared at her but spoke up. "Take him with us. Now he's healed enough it'll be good strength to add on just in case. It'd be good if we had a seal or something to ensure his temporary ally ship and to make sure he doesn't betray us." He went to Hinata. "Like Hinata-hime's family seal of the branch family."

"I-I could. It will only be u-up to m-me if he d-dies or not since I-I put it there. A-And no one could e-even find out about a-any Hyuuga secrets from t-that…"

They turned to Richochet inquiringly, who then turned to Deidara. She gave him a firm look, a slight frown furrowed on her face. "It'll be a way to prove your determination to leave Iwa and join Konoha. It'll also be a good idea if you're willing to be under the Hyuuga mark since the Hyuuga clan _is_ the most powerful clan in Konohagakure no Sato. And you have the _heir_ willing to help you."

Deidara gulped silently. "Is it… permanent, un?"

Hinata looked at him with her white eyes and nodded once. "I won't use it unless you try and kill me or those I hold near." She said in a resolute and resolved voice.

The blonde sighed. "Do it, un. If it gets me without Hunter-Nin's and a new home, I would be grateful to have it, un. I want to prove my newfound loyalty, un. Just be gentle, un? I'm fragile, un." He joked making Naruto grin widely and Richochet smirk.

Hinata smile softly and stood up, walking to him before stopping down and kneeling next to him. "Thank you for this. You've helped stop a war before it began. You should be proud." She did several hand seals and gently touched his forehead. A mark similar to the swastika in her world appeared in neon green upon his forehead connected to a hook like formation that wrapped around his forehead.

Hinata moved back and breathed out a sigh. "Done."

"Coooool…" Naruto said with wide awed eyed. "Fuuin-jutsu is awesome."

Richochet just nodded as she ate and handed Deidara his own plate of meat, ramen, fruit and some berries, wondering what this turn of events would bring.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Morning came with Naruto already awake due to his watch. Admittedly he fell asleep once, and his foxes took over, but he woke up again! So there! Nyah! The fox holder nudged Deidara awake – he slept with his eyes open which was creepy as hell – and then jumped up to the girls, who were curled up, limbs mixing together, Hinata's head resting above Richochet's... Yeah. Them. 

'_Awww… Girls look so nice when they're asleep. And these two don't snore loud or drool or anything. Though, Richochet mouth is open and Hinata makes little sighing sounds…_' He cocked his head to the side and noted their… nakedness. His eyes widened at their developing forms and he blushed trying not to bleed from his nose.

"Urk… Um…"

Why couldn't he stop staring?

Kyuubi snickered at him. '**Cover them before you wake them so they don't accuse you of peeping.**' Even Kyuubi was quiet.

Rokubi yawned. '**Richochet already knows because of her Kazangan and doesn't care. In fact she's telling me to tell you she's laughing at you.**'

'_G-Good idea._' He said and did so with a red face. Calming himself from seeing their chests, he knocked on the shell of the tree, politely looking away.

They awoke and looked at him blearily, only caring about the warmth.

"T-Time to get up. I'll get the weasels to get some fruits." He jumped away, face becoming red once more. Honestly, being in Jiraiya's teaching was having a bad effect on him.

It was a miracle he wasn't perverted enough because of the Ero-Sennin and trying to see more.

Thank God.

Deidara looked at him once and started laughing out loud at him, already guessing. "Sleeping naked together huh, unnn? What's wrong, un? Never seen a naked woman before, un?"

Naruto went fully red again. "Sh-Shut up, stupid teme!"

Deidara just laughed and mussed his new little friends' hair up as Naruto tried to get away. He let go after a couple seconds, knowing not to push it with people he barely knew. "Alright, alright. I'll stop teasing you, un."

"To your question I have. I even know this cool jutsu called Sexy no jutsu that makes men's nose bleeds and knocks em out for the count!" Naruto grinned at his own success, enjoying his bragging. He turned to the fox that came up to his side and started petting it. "The girls would like some fruit. Can you get some buddy?"

The fox nodded his red furred head in a bow and dashed off with two weasels jumping on its back to help.

"What's the deal with the animals again, un?" Deidara asked.

Naruto stilled and tried to find an excuse.

"Uh, ask Richochet."

Perfect excuse, right there.

"Okay, un." Deidara didn't push it. It was obviously a secret that wouldn't be told for quite a while. "Summons I take for an answer for now, un?" Deidara looked at the small rock formation he used for a covering to keep the wind out that he made via jutsu.

Richochet landed on it and then jumped down again. That little igloo of a house was a good idea. Pity she couldn't use Earth Jutsu. Richochet looked at the snuffed out fire and then gathered the rocks, tossing them away in various directions. She looked to Deidara. "Any jutsu you can use that'll cover this? I don't know, grass cover no jutsu would be nice."

Deidara scoffed in amusement before grinning. "No such thing, un. Nice idea though, un. But I'll get rid of the evidence for you, un."

Richochet nodded warily and then raised an eyebrow at their little animal companions. They seemed to enjoy being around them, but only one or two could stay when they reached Konoha and Kirigakure borders.

Her eyes looked with focus around them looking for anything stray when her eyes caught something, but it disappeared. It was at the area of the igloo creating jutsu. She focused once more on the igloo and noticed a blur of energy surrounding it. It was weak since the jutsu was yesterday night, but there was still some blueness there-

"Ne! Your eyes are going swirly! Dattebayo!" Naruto had appeared in front of her staring into her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Richochet said, backing her head up at the intrusion of her personal bubble. "Swirly?"

"Yeah, you know when you have those circle things for hypnotising and they have black and white swirls that move inwards but don't really because they don't move when they do since its just paint?"

The long winded explanation was confusing but you kinda got it at the end. He was talking about those hypno-disc's. Hopefully.

"Sure."

"Well your eyes were orange with the red but then white spiralled out of it." Naruto explained.

Odd. Yet it made sense. If the Sharingan had those commas and if the Byakugan had the circles in the middle when in use then why wouldn't hers have swirls when in use?

"That's cool, but if you don't get your face outta mine I will slam it into a tree and electrocute you." Richochet smirked as he jerked back at her words and ran behind Deidara.

"I-I'm okay, I'm okay! You don't have to do that!" He said nervously and Deidara laughed at him.

Hinata jumped down with the blankets and Deidara took them from her. "I'll do it, un!" he said happily with a polite smile. "Gotta make nice to the people responsible for saving my life, un!"

Hinata smiled at him shyly and he patted her head before randomly but correctly putting away the blankets.

"How'd you know who's goes in who's?" Naruto asked in interest.

Deidara looked up with an attractive boyish grin. "You _smell_ different, un. Naruto-kun smells of ramen and some kind of spice, un. Hinata-sama smells of lavender and berries, un. Richochet-sama smells of lemons and warm caramel, un."

'_Warm caramel?... Caramel? Where the hell did caramel get there?_' Richochet raised a brow and looked away in thought, crossing her arms over her chest. '_I don't use perfume… wait scent… My shampoo. I didn't know it smelt like caramel…_' She mused to herself and glared at Naruto as he spoke up.

"Ha, lemon-pop girl!"

"Screw you, ramen-boy."

He stuck his tongue out childishly.

"Tokoooo…WAH!" Richochet jumped him and they tussled again before Richochet pinned him easily after a couple moments. The blonde haired Jinchuuriki blinked in confusion at the unusual quick speed of the wrestling. "That was quick."

Richochet shrugged and dragged them both up quickly. "I hurried it up because I realised we were on an important mission. Let's double time today."

"Yes Richochet-captain!" Naruto called and saluted and nudged Hinata to do the same as she gave them their bags. She copied shyly, looking at the captain bashfully. Deidara shrugged and stood next to them, doing the same with his usual grin.

Richochet felt flustered as a smirk crawled up her lips from satisfaction. She could get used to this captain business. She put hands behind back and put feet shoulder width apart. "At ease men." She said mockingly. "And lovely princess." She winked at Hinata. "Alright, move it maggots!"

"Hey!"

"Naruto ahead then Hinata and me then Deidara."

"I said HEEY!!"

"I don't care." She snickered as they bounded into the trees and Naruto grumbled. She decided to help him think of something good at her expense. "This is revenge for the photos, fox."

Naruto beamed in delight as he thought of them.

"Photo's, un?" Deidara asked as Naruto burst out laughing obnoxiously, Hinata giggled shyly from ahead and Richochet groaned, speeding up again. "I don't get it… Wait, actually, let me guess. Blackmail, un."

"YUP, DATTEBAYO!!"

Richochet sighed. Well at least the others were happy. That's what she wanted. And that's sure as hell what she got.

'_When did I get so nice?_'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Leaving the animals behind, they took a bridge, but not any bridge. 

The Great Naruto Bridge.

"What idiot named a bridge after you?" Richochet insulted the boy. "A dead fish?"

"NO!"

Richochet eyebrows rose as he said that somewhat more louder than usual. "I'm joking already. It's good to be known for something... I s'ppose."

"Even if that something is a bridge, un?" Deidara asked as they ran along. He'd quickly become her partner in crime for teasing the boy.

Richochet smirked at him. "Even if it's a bridge, Dei-Dei."

He pouted at her for the nickname but then smirked at the teasing they were doing.

"Quit being mean!"

"Alright…" Richochet and Deidara sighed unhappily.

Hinata sighed at them with an affectionate smiled on her lips. "The bridge being here has reduced the travelling time by a day, and since we've gone quicker with no ambushes, we got there in a day and a half. Good timing."

"Richoooocheeeet." Naruto began in a sing songy voice.

"Oh boy, un." Deidara said in a mutter, already used to the boy in under a day.

"I was wondering…"

"Here it comes." She replied to the blonde sixteen year old, smirking.

"Can we go see Tazuna and Inari, even for an hour? PLEASE?!"

Richochet thought back to the journey. With an extra person to feed and take care off, they needed more supplies and clothing. Since they'd also been teasing Naruto a lot, they'd be nice for once. "Sure. Three hours tops. We'll even go for some ramen for you. Just don't tell Tsunade-baa-san." She warned.

Not even she was dumb or arrogant enough to incur that drunkard's wrath.

Well, not yet anyway.

"Like I'm dumb enough to tell her that! Thanks Richochet!" He hugged her tightly before bolting off at high speed, making the leader grit her teeth in annoyance.

"Follow him and makes sure he doesn't get in trouble Hinata." Richochet scowled at the distance blur of dark blue and blonde. "We'll meet you at the end of this bridge at noon seeing as its Nine AM. Treat yourself."

"Yes, leader." Hinata smiled timidly before dashing off.

"Look's like it's just you and me, un." Deidara said with a smirk as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, not getting electrocuted. Rokubi liked this one too. Curious. "If you wanted a date, I wouldn't mind you asking in front of them, un. How could I say no, un?" He ran a hand through her hair in a teasing seductive manner.

"Get the _hell_ off of me." She growled as he was about to touch her neck and the furred necklace. He put his hands up in defence. "You can touch my hair and put an arm around my shoulder, but that's it. Anything else and I'll close your tenketsu with painful strikes of electricity."

Deidara's eyes were wide at the end of her sentence. "You some kind of mutated Hyuuga, un?"

"No." Her eyes narrowed. "Just someone who will kick your ass if you piss her off enough."

"I get your hint, un." He smiled cheekily. "Now let me Henge myself, un."

Richochet watched him silently as a completely new person emerged, though he kept the blonde hair in shoulder length spikes with black streaks on top.

Was he trying to be her 'brother' or something?

Pretty good try actually.

He had on a long sleeved baggy top of dark blue that was v-neck with fish net underneath. There were also some standard issue shinobi trousers like Naruto had on and some shiny black boots instead of shinobi sandals were on his feet.

"I like it 'brother' _Seishou Daisuke_." Richochet smirked and nodded.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her into town. "Now, babe, let's get me some stuff, un. Brother Daisuke has enough money on him thank god, un."

"I'll pay as long as you pay me back when we get to Konoha." Richochet said in a monotonous tone. She didn't like shopping. It was in, out, done for her. "When you get to a ninja stage on which you're happy that you're able to without being in debt that is. Or you could do what I've done in the past."

"What's that, un?" The blonde asked innocently as he looked around for a clothes shop suited to his tastes. He wondered how this one over many other villages he had visited was richer. Did it have something to do with the name of that bridge? Was that why Naruto-kun was so smug?

"Wait for bandits to attack and then rob them blind." Richochet scoffed at his disbelieving slash amused look as he pulled her into a store for ninja clothing and fashion complete with a weapons blacksmith. "Serves them right, damnit. Poetic Justice."

Deidara looked at the racks in boredom, picking out a couple of things he'd like, such as a pair of shinobi sandals and some more standard wear trousers. He began looking at some weapons as Richochet looked at the blacksmith in contemplation.

Walking over, she coughed. The blacksmith looked over at her headband and smiled. "Ah, welcome Konoha-nin! It's always a pleasure to have foreign Nin visit your shop. Tell me, what would you like?" The bald man asked amicably.

"You sharpen weapons, yes?" She took out her six blades from her hip pouch and put them on the table in front of him. They were rather blunt, but she'd used them for nothing but stabbing instead of slicing lately and it bothered her that they weren't in perfect condition. Which was odd since she'd never cared before. So she blamed Neji for his perfectionist streak that rubbed off on her.

"Hmm. These designs are remarkable." He murmured as he looked at the weasels with the six lightning tails on each side. "I can sharpen them for you and finish in half an hour. This'll take some precise handling. Anything else I can get you?"

She eyed some scrolls of water techniques. "Those two scrolls there. Oh and that guy over there is my brother." She pointed to the blond. "I'll take whatever he's buying. You accept Konohagakure money right?"

"Certainly miss." He nodded, brown eyes gleaming happily.

Richochet turned around. "Daisuke, you want kunai and shuriken?"

Deidara shook his head as he brought his stuff over. "I've already got a set of each, un. Clay. I need a LARGE pouch full of clay, un." He told the blacksmith who gave him a curious look. "Do you have any, un?"

"Well, yes. I suppose I could sell some. A pouch of it you say?" He nodded as he looked at the pouch Deidara had on top of his to buy pile. "I'll fill it up now for you?"

"Yes, please, un." He grinned at the thought of getting some precious clay.

As the blacksmith went into the back with the pouch she turned on him. "Clay?" Richochet questioned. "Iwagakure-Nin's are odd."

Deidara sniffed at her, affronted at her dismissal of his clay. "I _like_ my clay, thank you very much, un. What's your techniques of? Katon and Doton, un?"

"Raiton and Suiton actually." Richochet smirked at him in a superior way and he pouted. "You should look next to you pile to find some scrolls of simple Suiton techniques in case I missed some."

There was no way she was telling him she only knew one Suiton technique.

"Oh yeah… Let me borrow it after, un."

"Meh, whatever."

Deidara grinned. "That's speech for 'sure Deidara-dono, anything you command', right, un?"

The lava eyed girl nudged him with a metal shielded elbow in annoyance.

The man came back with the clay as to which Deidara squealed at happily, making Richochet burst out laughing at his feminine side.

"That's not nice, un! Laughing at others, un! UN!" He pouted and brushed away some hair going to the wrong side of his face. "I should ignore you for that, un!"

She just burst out laughing again, making him sulk as she paid the blacksmith the charge.

The bald man smiled at them, telling Richochet, after her laughing episode, that she should come back within the hour to get her blades back. She nodded at the man with a pleased smirk on her face, feeling particularly upbeat for once. Deidara just had that effect on you. It was odd but nice in a way.

"You got a changing room, un?"

"Right through here, sir."

Deidara nodded and went off to happily change, making sure to put the Henge back on after. He appeared in an outfit almost identical to the Hyuuga training outfit underneath the white kimono but he had on boots that were similar to horse riding ones from her old world. On top was a cloak that reminded her of the Akatsuki cloak except it was dark green almost black and had no clouds.

"Ready, un!"

As soon as she stepped out the door, a blur of white and light blue passed her forcefully, making her slide back into Deidara who caught her instinctively by the shoulders.

"Someone, catch him! He's a Missing Nin from the Bingo Book!"

Deidara smirked down at her as she looked at him in enquiry and then smirked back. "I can pay you back now, un! I'll show you my clay figurines, un! I'll show you how good they are, un!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet jumped off of the huge clay owl next to the missing nin as Deidara stayed on it and in flight ten meters up in the cloudy damp air of Kirigakure. They'd agree that Deidara would take care of him and Richochet would make sure he couldn't run off by stopping him with her own jutsu's. 

The man wasn't tall, nor was he especially strong and meaty looking in the buffed up overly muscled way. So there must be some sort of special jutsu or weapon he could use that put him in the book.

He glared at them with venomous yellow eye, making sure to keep both in his line of sight. "What do you want with me?"

"Uh, your capture money, un." Deidara gave him a puzzled look at the man's attempt to buy time. "What else, un?"

He sneered, snatching his hair back into a short blue ponytail. He'd be rather attractive in a way if he lost the sneer of wickedness and changed his eye colour or at least made himself stop looking like he wanted to kill them. He was in a typical fighters' kimono of sea green and yellow fishes along the hems in a row with shinobi sandals and some fingerless gloves like Richochet's but less modified to suit his needs.

He was about six feet tall so he towered over Richochet just reaching five foot and Deidara's five foot ten height.

Richochet used a kunai to deflect the shuriken coming at her to put one into each tree around her. '_Time to get serious then._' She thought as Deidara started talking, giving her times to take out some wire and create a simple trap on the grounds and through the holes of the shuriken and added some explosive notes.

"You don't' really think you can take two ninja on, and especially of our calibre do you, un?" He snickered, glaring down at him with something akin to annoyance. So that was his game face huh? And what was he talking about as if they were Anbu? "Tut, tut, un. That's really silly of you, un. I can't believe you'd think that."

Richochet chuckled silently, jumping into the trees to create some kunai to fling when the trap was triggered with some explosive notes on the end.

Mister Bingo Book was looking a little scuffled at that, but anger soon came up as he focused his attention on Deidara and flinging some kunai and shuriken that missed or hit the bird as the clay master moved it to defend him.

The trap now done, she gave a thumbs up to Deidara. The trap was a little bad, but it was all she could do for now since Neji hadn't taught her more complex ones yet. Jumping into the trees she landed next to him on his bird and waved happily at Mister Bingo Book Number One.

"Do you like bombs Mister Bingo Book?"

A small little bird that reminded her of a sparrow flew from Deidara's mouth on his hand and went to attack him. Mister Bingo Book obviously dodged it, but the bird exploded violently into fire and dirt, making him fly back and land in the patch of first explosive on the left.

"Kawarimi no jutsu!" A log appeared instead of Mister Bingo Book and he reappeared hidden within trees.

Deidara cursed and flew up higher.

"We lost him un!"

"No, he's north, and in the tree next to my next trap." Richochet smirked, looking right into those yellow eyes that widened in surprise. She was glad she couldn't see colour sometimes and instead was able to see chakra tenketsu beams and heat rays of the human bodies.

An idea quickly came to Richochet. They were going to see the Mizukage right? Why not show their competence by bringing in one from the Bingo Book to show how serious they really were. Deidara could act as the Jounin and the other three could be his Genin team. It'd be simple.

SO, it was lying.

Who cared?

'_If it gets the job done…_'

"Deidara, just knock him or something. I've got _plans_ for this one." She sneered maliciously at the missing nin in question, making the man step back in fright, gulping loudly, tree branch making a very slight breaking noise that you normally wouldn't hear due to the roaring of the nearby ocean or the wind whipping in your hair from being so high up.

Luckily, Deidara and Richochet weren't normal humans.

They were ninja.

Deidara make several hand signs for a jutsu only known to Anbu level and Richochet noted that. "Kanashibari no jutsu!" The man became paralysed instantly and lost him balance, falling off his tree, narrowly missing his would be trap.

Deidara was Anbu once, she was sure of it.

Landing back down to earth, Deidara quickly undid the trap wire used and undid the explosive notes, stuffing the unused ones in his inner cloak pockets. Richochet quickly found any valuables on the Mister Bingo Book and kept them, especially this rather large scroll. Undoing it, she found a petition to overthrow the current Mizukage for – basically - being such a dick at his job.

"Well, well, well. No wonder one such as you was in the Bingo Book for mist, un!" Deidara said as soon as Richochet read it out to them – secretly glad she could read it – while the blonde had tied him up. "Treason, un!"

The Kanashibari wore off. "If I had my damn sword you would have been dead! I of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, Makoto Nakanai, would have killed you!"

"Those Swordsmen were supposed to be Mizukage's own guard, but it seems they all hate him so much, un, that they left him." Deidara remembered from memory.

"Kirigakure sure has suffered under that stupid fucks rule, mm? I wonder…" Richochet said absently and went into a thoughtful pose. '_Maybe Naruto and I could…_'

'**What? Take over?**' Rokubi snickered. '**In a few years, maybe, little one.**'

'_Yeah, or we could have our own country, like Orochi-fuck-aru did. That'd be awesome. Yeah. That's it. Now to convince Naruto for such a thing. He can be the Kage for all I care. I'll get rich by getting into Anbu and robbing the bandits around Konohagakure no Sato blind. Then I'll start buying lands or small villages first and become the Daimyo of them. And this won't be just for power, but because I know Naruto can't stand things like this around either… Actually, I don't like looking at such things either… I'll think of this later._'

'**See? You can be ambitious when you want.**'

'_Just try and get Kyuubi to agree. Naruto can be convinced later._'

Rokubi smirked and leaned back in thought. '_**This'll be a good life for her.**_'

Richochet was starting to become something he more than liked. And it was of her own doing.

We'll just ignore the fact she was becoming demonic.

Oh, and the fact she was getting an ego-trip because of these fight she was inadvertently winning.

Even if Neji could still kick her arse at Gentle Fist any time he wanted to.

'_Wait… haven't I thought this before?_'

'**Yes. In the 'dream world' as you two call it. You see, when we're in there, your body remembers the work – that's muscle memory. But everything else is **_**exactly **_**like a dream.**' Rokubi explained. '**Or like a memory you can't fully remember, so everything you think is a new idea is most likely just something planted by the dream if you're thinking and have the feeling of deja vu.**'

'_So the whole Daimyo thing… I thought before in the dream world? Damn! I thought I was getting smarter._'

'**Well, Kyuubi thought it for you, but I helped you along first. So you're getting a little smarter. Then again, you are growing up so you will get better. It's not like you can stay at the same power level forever, is it? Anyway, it's nearly time.**'

Richochet raised a brow. '_For what?_'

'**Oh, you already know that answer.**'

'_Your secretiveness sucks._' Richochet replied bluntly.

Rokubi shrugged. '**Demon.**'

'_Excuses, excuses…_'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Three hours later had the group ready to set off to the main shinobi village, Kirigakure no Sato with an extra man to boot. It was a quick-ish eighty mile travel as Deidara flew with the Mister Bingo Book in its' tail and the others running at high speeds as they told Deidara their mission. When it came to a sea, Deidara simply created another owl for them to ride on and both sped to land at the gates of Kirigakure. 

Anbu members stopped them demanding their passport paper. Each of the three Genin easily did some, flashing them with their pictures. And how Tsunade-baa got one of Richochet was beyond her comprehension but she dealt with it.

When it was Deidara's turn however…

The blonde shrugged. "I don't have any because I was on a simple excursion for some food when I caught this guy, Makoto Nakanai, pissing around a previous village, un." He stated with a grin and drew a thumb to the passenger in his tail.

The Anbu checked the Bingo Book guy to make sure he wasn't a fake. They nodded unhappily. "Another few years with the pig of a Mizukage then, eh?" The shark masked one said to his dolphin masked companion.

"So you don't want the Mizukage-sama as the head ninja, 'ttebayo?"

Then Anbu shook their head.

Richochet stepped forward. "We'll speak to Tsunade-Hokage-sama about this. Though it's doubtful someone from another village could do anything in another villages' politics. Why do the strongest of you not duel him for Mizukage rights?"

"YEAH!" Naruto cheered with a fist in the air. "You can do that in Konohagakure no Sato! So why not here, 'ttebayo?"

"There's a law against it. _Mizukage_-sama put it in himself." The Anbu said monotonously, as he led them to the tower, Deidara following on his bird as they listened to him.

"That's stupid, un. Just pay for an assassin or something and then decide on a new Mizukage, un. Simple, un." Deidara shrugged as he put that point out.

"We of the Kirigakure-Nin are not that dishonourable, Konohagakure-Nin."

"He didn't mean offence!" Naruto said loudly in defence of him as Deidara pouted. "It's just that seems to be one of the only ways left, is all! I mean, Mizukage seems like an… like an…"

"We know Naruto. He sounds like a complete bastard." Richochet said sternly, placating him, becoming more emotionless as they neared the Mizukage office in a tower quite like the Hokage's tower. For all the disagreements concerning peace, Kiri's Mizukage seemed to like stealing Konoha's building ideas and architectures.

How quaint of them.

They were out side of the door to Mizukage's room now and Richochet gave them all a warning look to stay sensible and nice.

Well, to Naruto she did, anyway.

* * *

When I'm done editing, which should be tomorrow or Saturday and definitely by Sunday, I'l put twenty one up. Mucho love to all. Hope I made Deidara to you guys satisfaction. :)

Ten Words.

_Faking it. Wise choice. Hinata Rocks. It's starting. Haunting memories._

* * *

**R.**

* * *


	21. Chapter XXI

**Told you it would come out soon... ;)**

_Hugs, love and cookies to..._

_Devil Speaker - Frozen Tempest - Hibiki-chan - Neko of Light - Bloody-Moon-Rose - Moogle in Paradaisu - Ugly.Beautiful - Masked Ai - SilverMononoke_

**I glomp you all.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One**

**

* * *

**

"Come in!"

The Anbu members went in first and bowed to their Mizukage stiffly.

Hinata frowned very lightly at that, chin up and looking for the world like the Hyuuga Heir is supposed to be. Strong. Determined. Mighty. Naruto and Richochet were surprised and happy at that while Deidara was grinning.

Mizukage looked at them suspiciously, not hiding his disgust at a bunch of children entering his domain. He then turned to his Anbu in disdain and sniffed before speaking up. "Well what is it? What would Konoha want with us?"

The Anbu stood up straight from their bows and went into the military pose of feet at shoulder length width apart and hand behind their backs and brushed off their Mizukage's words. The Konoha Nin raised eyebrows at the way Mizukage spoke to his subordinates.

Naruto was especially pissed off but wouldn't spoil his mission by yelling. Yet. There was no way he was standing around doing nothing. Uzumaki Naruto was a live wire do-er, not a laze around guy.

"First of all Mizukage-sama, Makoto Nakanai has been capture by a Konoha-Nin."

Mizukage's eyes brightened up in delight. "Good! Good! Let me see him!"

Deidara whistled and the clay bird hopped on in and let the man fall to the ground with a loud bump. Makoto scowled at the blonde in the powerful Henge before scowling even harder at his previous Mizukage.

Mizukage, whose real name was Taka, glared back weakly before looking away. He went to a drawer and took out a scroll. Biting his thumb, he bloodied the seal on it and opened it. Running his eyes over it, he nodded and wrapped it up again. "This is for you then. I give it to you with my gratitude."

Deidara walked forward. "Konohagakure is pleased to assist you, Mizukage-sama."

On the way to the Mizukage and before the Anbu arrived, Richochet had told them the plan. Deidara would be their 'jounin leader' and they the Genin's. Hinata had even offered to be the 'leader figure' of the group. Though that was kinda dashed to heck when Deidara said he was on an excursion for food because of not having a passport, but ah well. Shit happens.

Naruto had pouted when Richochet agreed due to the heritage point Hyuuga Hinata held but got over it quickly at the next bit. It would be beneficial to the mission. Naruto would be the second leader because it was something of a well known fact that Mizukage was somewhat sexist though when it came to clans such as the Hyuuga he would probably forget that minor fact.

Richochet would play the weak link of the group that could barely do anything, much to her inner displeasure and the others inward chortling and giggling at her. Yet she would also help Hinata along with arguments, though it wouldn't be needed.

Hinata was the brains and back up of the operation, Naruto the power and also links if needed – He was well known in Kirigakure for the bridge fiasco a few months back too – while Richochet was the leader who brought it together and also was the back up if needed. Deidara was the experience - and uniqueness if caught in a bind of enemy Nin expecting Katon and Doton jutsu from Konoha-Nin - added on and the good mood setter too.

Makoto was the addition that gave them a good advantage without even realising it.

They really should thank him, since he was probably going to jail or something.

Richochet let a smirk slide on her lips as her sadistic side laughed.

Nah.

This was for the good of her plan.

Sacrifices must be made and all that jazz.

She let her face go back to normal, emotionless.

Taka smiled cruelly at Deidara as he handed over the scroll and Deidara pocketed it, feeling a sense of distrust coming over him. That scroll probably wasn't something nice. Or something.

"I must say." Mizukage went on. "I knew that Nin would be coming soon, but so early?"

"We're eager to show you how much we would appreciate it if you do sign a treaty." Hinata said smoothly, using a genjutsu on her eyes to make them seem piercing, as though they would swallow you up. A nice intimidation factor given to her by a scroll in the Hyuuga compound.

He looked down his nose at her, ignoring the jutsu. Mostly. "You are…?"

"_Hyuuga_ Hinata, _heir_ to the Hyuuga Clan." She said proudly, a triumphant look in her eyes, even though she was inwardly going stir crazy by talking to such a high-positioned person. She gave him a narrow eyed look at his look of shock. "What of it?"

'_Wow… Hinata Rocks!_'

'_Indeed._'

"Nothing of course, Hyuuga-san. It's a pleasure for an esteemed member of such a renowned clan to visit my village of course." He chuckled nervously as her eyes narrowed further before shaking himself out of it. "I suppose this is how serious the female Hokage is?"

"I do not see how her being female comes into the equation." Hinata defended her Hokage. "Her massive strength is legendary. Konoha has flourished greatly under her command even more so than it did for the third, I assure you."

"It's true." Deidara added in smoothly. "Commerce has almost doubled and many more missions are coming in. Tsunade-sama would like to make sure that those around her flourish too. And so it is why we have come here." He looked at Hinata and waved a hand. "To ask for your signature within a treaty. A peace treaty."

The heir produced the treaty efficiently and handed it to Deidara. Hinata released the seal with a quick 'Kai' on it and Deidara opened it with a quick flick of the hand and put it on the table in front of the Mizukage.

Mizukage didn't even look at it. "We do not wish for a peace treaty with Konohagakure."

'_Idiot._' Richochet stopped herself from rolling her eyes in disbelief. '_I hate depending on others and even I would sign this just to get them off my back and as an advantage._'

"Why ever not?" Hinata raised a brow, crossing her arms. "You _offend_ us by not even reading it."

Mizukage thinned out his lips. "Kirigakure needs no ally's." He said in a final voice. "Now if you would just-"

Naruto clenched his fists in anger and cut him off. "What would it take for you to have a peace treaty signed with our village, dattebayo?" He asked loudly, crossing his arms as well.

The Mizukage smirked.

Richochet's eyes narrowed.

He was waiting for that question wasn't he?

The bastard wanted something alright.

She had to cut in before he got his way and exploited Konoha and themselves somehow.

She spoke up to Naruto. "Don't bother Naruto. It's obvious Kirigakure and it's leader is _too weak and pathetic_ to see how _extraordinary and powerful_ Konoha is and quakes in fear at our supremacy."

Hinata though doubting this severely went along with her leader. "Hmph, Seishou-san is correct, I suppose." She said in a let down voice, wondering if the Mizukage would seriously fall for this.

Richochet smirked. She loved getting in, starting something and then getting away while the going was good and just watching the chaos erupt. It was something she was rather fond of, and pretty good at too.

Taka went read as he glared at them. "How dare you presume to say that-"

"Well, it's pretty obvious, wouldn't you say?" Hinata added in again. Her lavender eyes turn to Deidara. "Don't you remember that last B-class mission we went on and how that Nuke-nin bluffed his way through the whole thing but was really weak in the end, sensei? He urinated himself afterwards."

Deidara smirked and nodded. "He couldn't look past his bandit's faults thinking himself great against us and when he presumed to think he didn't need our help, another group of bandits absolutely smashed him, un. I remember that one, un."

"We ended up thrashing them, ne, Richochet? Even with his back up!"

"Correct. He was even using Suiton techniques he must have stolen from Kiri…" She sighed dramatically and looked out the window as Taka listened on in stony silence. "He even thought that deserter Orochimaru would help him but in the end wiped the rest them out. It's a good thing we were gone by then."

Mizukage paled at the sound of Orochimaru's deeds and what it could do to him.

'_It's fun to threaten people into submission.'_

"You got that right, un. Wouldn't want that to happen to us, un. Good thing Konoha is already allies with Sunagakure no Sato, even after they were forced to attack us, un. It shows the loyalty and forgiveness we give to those with us beautifully, un." Deidara smiled softly at Richochet who nodded back respectfully.

"Yes, sensei, it does." She said softly, and smiling gently as if she were sweet and kind, even with craftiness on her mind.

"F-Fine." Taka said, regaining his dignity. He signed the treaty with a sigh and then did his special seal and put some of his chakra into it to seal it properly. "Here." He tossed the scroll to them. "Just return a copy of it and the money too."

"A wise choice, Mizukage-sama." Hinata bowed with the other three and even the clay owl bowed to him. "Now. With all due respect we must hasten to our village. Many thanks on behalf of the Hokage."

With that Deidara led them out and away to the gates.

As they arrived, the Anbu appeared again and bowed to them gratefully. Dolphin mask rose up. "On behalf of the ninja we would like to thank you for… persuading Mizukage to this peace treaty."

Richochet smirked. "Don't worry, Anbu-nin. We felt it best to coerce him. You want the honest truth? We just made up a lot of bullshit. You have to thank these three mostly. If our shy Hinata-hime didn't speak up like that then we'd be screwed. If Naruto didn't speak up we wouldn't have gotten anywhere and if Deidara didn't carry it on we'd be at a dead end and he would've tried to lock us up or something."

"Eh? He would've done that, Chet-chaaan?" Naruto said in shock.

Richochet shrugged. "I've got no idea. I'm glad we're just good enough liars. Anyway, the trade lines were starting to get more troublesome even with the Great Naruto Bridge in tact. Right Hinata-hime?"

She blushed and nodded, looking at the ground.

Deidara put an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "You did brilliantly, un. I was so surprised and proud of you, un! You're awesome, un!" He complimented her, putting a kiss to her temple. She blushed even deeper than before and then passed out. Deidara quickly caught her. "Ack! HINATA-HIME, UN!"

Richochet ignored this and looked to the Anbu. "Sorry for saying Kiri was basically a load of shit. I was trying to attack him but outright saying it wouldn't get a peace treaty out of him."

"More like a war, un…" He carefully picked up the girl and held her to him gently before smoothly jumping on the bird and checking her various health signs.

Naruto gawped at her. "Oh my god…"

"What?" Richochet said in annoyance, glowering at him.

"Y-You…"

Her eye twitched.

She had a feeling she knew what was coming up next.

"You apologized to them! You actually said 'sorry' to someone!"

He pointed at her in amazement.

"Shut up, dead-last."

"I'm not a dead last!"

She jumped up next to Deidara on his bird. Looking at Hinata briefly she was glad the girl just fainted.

"Yes you are." She smirked and looked to the Anbu. "What was the truth is that Hinata is the heir and that Konoha is loyal and forgiving. We _**will**_ help you when you ask. Later." Naruto quickly hurried on as she turned to Deidara. "Let's go."

The bird took flight.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

An hour later on the bird took them into Konoha territory. Deidara looked at Richochet. "Well then, what's the plan un? Didn't you say this mission was supposed to last a week?"

"I-I-t was." Hinata spoke up. "We've d-done it in two days. W-We still have f-five days before we're a-actually expected back."

"Mm. True." Richochet shrugged, not really caring want they do. "By the time we get back on this owl, it'll be hitting three in the afternoon. If we walk it'd take another day. We could always land and train. I bought some scrolls for Suiton Jutsu we can use to...Ugh…" Richochet felt a quake in her stomach.

'**It's starting.**' His voice sounded rather…

…

…Sad?

"Richo…chet…" Naruto asked warily as she doubled over in pain. "Is it time for your third illness then?"

'_Yeah, land us. Naruto, make sure the other two don't freak too b-bad…_' She gritted her teeth as a burst of pain scratched over her mark and it glowed on her stomach violently.

'_Y-Yeah of course._' The blonde turned to the other blonde, who had lost the Henge an hour back. "We need to go down, 'ttebayo! We need a place to keep her safe, so make one of those large igloo thingies too okay?!"

Deidara started in shock at his commanding tone but nodded and did so quickly.

Naruto turned his sky blue eyes to Hinata. "Hinata-hime, you'll have to help heal her, alright? You'll be fine." He added at her worried look. "She's gone through this twice right? It's gonna be okay." He beamed, hiding his own worry.

'**DON'T FRET, KIT. AND REMEMBER WHAT WILL HAPPEN SINCE THIS HAPPENS TO ALL THE JINCHUURIKI.**' Kyuubi tried to sooth him over from his hyped up worry state. '**THIS'LL HAPPEN TO YOU WHEN YOU HIT FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE.**'

Naruto worried his bottom lips as he jumped off the bird, holding a sweating Richochet. He looked down in shock as her chakra started to leek out from each tenketsu point viciously and it started to hurt him without knowing who the hell it was hitting and not caring. He winced as it hit some of his tenketsu and closed them off.

'_Well, it is her technique she's been working on a little._' He said to himself, flinching as his arms threatened to drop her. '_It's still hurts like fuck though._'

'**DO THIS BARRIER JUTSU.**' Kyuubi sped hand signs to him and he copied automatically, finally slamming his now blooded fist into the ground around them and a huge dome of purple energy surrounded them in a miasmic fog. '**IT HIDES ALL ENERGY PRESENT AND ALSO WHAT'S INSIDE. I WILL TEACH YOU THIS AND MORE LATER.**'

"Naruto-kun, un! It's done, un!" Deidara called out quickly, a confused and worried look on his face as he eyed the newly formed dome. 'What's going on, un? How'd this kid get such… evil feeling energy, un? Shit…'

Naruto looked up as the large igloo was made and he ran in depositing her on the ground quickly, jostling her. A pained moan fell from her lips as Naruto worked on taking her back pack off.

Hinata went in with her back pack in arms as she took out the blankets laying them out and swiftly moving away from the chakra leaking out like crazy before it blocked hers off. She had learnt to free the tenketsu again, but it hurt pretty badly, so she didn't want them closed in the first place.

Naruto placed her on his orange blanket with fast hands and nearly let go of her because she was so damp with sweat as a sense of emergency ran over them.

Hinata did some hands speedy signs. "Byakugan!" She peered at her system with worried eyes and gasped when she saw her chakra lines burning and expanding as her body flushed out her original chakra and more chakra of sunset reddish yellow pulled itself out from apparently no where. She narrowed and pushed her Byakugan to its' limits.

There.

A new source appeared and a weasel like face appeared, screeching silently as its' face moved as in pain. She jolted back in fear and shock but didn't stop staring as it melded its body from chakra to form six small tails of pure electricity within her, not yet escaping.

A demon?

She fainted from shock once more that day.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Hinata awoke two days later, according to Deidara, who smiled at her tenderly.

He frowned at her in a scolding manner, but did so gently. "You scared us, un."

She blushed as his hand brushed away some hair and quickly sat up, ignoring the light-headedness that came over her for a brief few moments.

"Is she…?"

Deidara opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.

"I have to tell you guys a secret." Naruto stated as his best friend started to levitate and glow with the demons chakra. "Richochet and I… We… We… hold demons in us." He said in a scared tone, not wanting to lose his friends.

Memories flashed into his mind.

_Fear._

'_Monster!'_

_Glares._

'_GET AWAY YOU FREAK!'_

_SMACK._

'_Don't play with him son, you'll get diseases.'_

_Rejections._

'_Come darling, let's not buy from here now we know HE buys here.'_

_Sneers._

'_Why doesn't he just die already?'_

_Ignorance._

'_My mama told me not to play with you because you're a monster.'_

_Hate._

Naruto started to shake when they didn't answer. '_I've been rejected. They hate me. They hate me. Theyhatemetheyhatemetheyhateme. THEYHATEMETHEYHATEME!_' Tears stung his eyes.

A gentle touch on his hand alerted him to the Hyuuga heir. "I don't care." She said firmly, which was unlike her still, despite Richochet saying she would get Hinata out of that stammering she did. "I'm not scared of you."

"Don't lie." Naruto said spitefully, pulling away. "Why wouldn't you be scared of the demon fox?"

Hinata let the pain of his words go. People always said such things they were in such a state. She wouldn't let it affect her.

"I am scared of the demon fox." Hinata admitted.

Naruto's world broke as a pain hit his chest.

"But… I can't…"

Naruto looked at her in suspicion.

Hinata put a fist up to her chest and she shook. She looked up to him with a small glare. "How can I hate Uzumaki Naruto?! You're the greatest person I've ever met!!" She shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly, tears stinging her eyes as they dripped down her cheeks as butterfly's flooded her stomach, making her sick with the worry that he'd shove her away.

Deidara watched as Naruto wrapped his arms and her tightly and smiled to himself. It was pretty scary to know that the demons could burst out at any second. But, they had helped him, were giving him a new home and a new life. He took off his cloak and wrapped it into a ball and stuffed it under Richochet's head, who had by then, laid back down to earth and was shaking.

He honestly didn't want to break up the scene but…

…

Richochet looked about half-dead so...

"Un? Richochet's looking decidedly worse, un?" He would do something, but he didn't know anything about medical jutsu's apart from one that heal swollen ligaments which he was taught as a child since he always was tripping over and spraining an ankle or wrist. So he made her as comfortable as possible.

The girl in questions was now shaking even more as her glow of sunset coloured chakra glowed brighter around her and slowly tails of electricity appeared.

One tail of static hummed softly…

Her fingernails glowed and clawed out.

Two tails of static started to crackle…

Her toenails glowed and clawed out.

Three tails of electricity started to snap…

Her canine teeth glowed and lengthened over her bottom lip.

Four tails of electricity jolted around playfully…

The three curled at the end whiskers on her cheek glowed vibrantly.

Five tails of bolts fried what it touched…

Her hair turned golden red like that of her nails and whiskers and fangs.

Six tails of bolts dissolved the igloo to dust…

A blast of chakra erupted from her body, trails of leftover blue merged with the golden red and swirled together and created an enigmatic and mysterious dance of power and beauty, bolting out around her yet harming none of them. Gold coloured liquid dropped from her fangs to dribble down her chin and down to the ground and burnt viciously through the cloth and the hard rock ground of the igloo, sizzling dangerously.

Her heart necklace rose and each of the humungous tails grew larger than ever, clawing up the trees around them and sending hums of power out and around the place. Then the lightning tails slowed down and pointed at the levitating necklace, then rammed into the heart, making the levitating girl scream a heart stopping note.

She slammed back down to the ground as the heart necklace smash onto her chest, yet not breaking. The chain fell from the wrap of fur around her neck and the unconscious girl caught it by the glass heart holding sphere in her hand.

Everything stopped at once.

The trees didn't sway.

The normal wind that was there had vanished.

Even the trio stopped breathing.

Everything began once again as the heart pounding moment was over when Richochet opened her lava coloured eyes, the red pupil having vanished. It was like the Byakugan except the colour of molten lava and no black outline. Her demonic features retracted and she looked like her normal self once more.

Well, normal as one could get anyway.

'_Rokubi…?_'

'**Yes?**' the voice was distant, weak but still there. A sense of relief hit her but then she shook out of it. Why would she be relieved? She didn't care for him, even if he couldn't harm her. Rokubi chuckled breathlessly. '**I'll think you'll find I can and I have.**'

'_W-What…?_' She sat up feeling betrayed and hating the fact she let herself become susceptible to it. '_What the hell did you do to me now, huh?_'

'**I made you my heir of course.**' He replied, fading out. '**If you want to know what happened, then I'll tell you. I've turned you half demon. You've unknowingly accepted it and it was possible since I'm a demon lord, a Taiyoukai, of part of the demon realms. All you have to do is what you planned back when capturing the Nuke-nin with Deidara. It'll ease your instincts and bloodlust when you do. The same will happen to other Jinchuuriki. It's why Naruto wants to be Kage. You all seek power and territory, so ****make sure you have it****. That's not all of it, but it is for now.**'

'…' Richochet had no response. All she knew was that she wanted her humanity back. And she wanted it now.

'**Don't bother.**' Rokubi said. '**You'll never be fully human again. Think of this as a parting gift. I killed you. You get to be part demon, and now I'm going to see Shinigami-sama to see if I'll get reborn somewhere.**'

'_This will happen to me?_' Naruto whispered in their minds as Richochet stared into the forest as if in a trance. The other two where trying to snap her out of it.

'**We were cocky kid, Kyuubi and I. We didn't take a mate and didn't think we'd need one until it was too late and we were stuck inside some pathetic babies. Human ones' no less.**' Rokubi chuckled weakly. '**I don't think I'd ever say this anyone, but I enjoyed being around you idiot humans. Kyuubi, be a friend and look after them for me? You know what I **_**mean**_** right?**'

'**OF COURSE, STUPID WEASEL.**' Kyuubi scoffed, but softened her tone. '**See you soon, hm?**'

Rokubi sighed wearily. '**Of course. Thank you all, and Richochet?**'

'_Y-Yeah, weasel?_' She barely felt Naruto's arms around her shoulder as she felt herself getting cold.

'**My spirit is still in you, though my soul is slowly going to the other side. I'll be able to go to your dreams, but rarely as in, once a year rarely. Oh. And Akatsuki will still be after my essence.**'

'_Thanks a lot for that._' She replied sarcastically.

'**One more thing?**'

'_Yeah…?_'

'**Give Neji that necklace. I want you to have some semblance of security and happiness. That and I don't want Akatsuki's members getting their grubby human hands on my… our… essence. Or… you. As a last wish.**'

'_F-Fine_.' Richochet felt her face redden for no reason she could think of as Naruto snickered knowingly. She glared at the forest. '_Raise hell for me there yeah?_'

Rokubi smiled in her mind at her goodbye. '**You're still my stupid little one. Have a bountiful life and many strong and powerful heirs for many generations.**'

With those parting words, Rokubi left her.

Richochet delved more deeply into her conscious but it was bare apart from her own electric warmth.

'_Shit. He's actually gone._'

'_It's okay. We're still here, 'ttebayo!_'

'_You better be, loser._' Richochet suddenly smirked and blinked and looked to the other two companions, making Hinata and Deidara sigh in relief and collapse against each other. Naruto raised his brows in surprise as his mouth dropped open and Richochet stared.

The lava eyed girl turned to Naruto. '_They make a good pair._'

Naruto felt himself scowl. '_B-But, I like Hinata!_'

'_So does Deidara. Why not be with both of them?_' Richochet added on sarcastically, trying to ignore the emptiness that Rokubi left by adding mean-spirited comments.

The blonde blinked and gave a thoughtful frown. "That's a good idea actually, 'ttebayo!" He grinned broadly.

"You're actually thinking of…?"

"Yeah!"

Hinata suddenly remembered where she was and who she was leaning against. "Ack! I-I'm sorry Deidara-san!"

Deidara stared at her, smiling at her cuteness and put a hand on her head. "Lean on me anytime you want, Hinata-hime, un!" He smiled wider at her growing blush.

Naruto let a foxy smile slide on his face and a mischievous light entered his eyes. He tackled them over and laughed at the two's yelps of shock or annoyance as he laughed happily, lying on both of them without a care in the world. Then he was pushed off by Deidara who was giving him an irritated look.

"Y'know when I told you I had a fox demoness in me?" Naruto grinned widely at their nods. "Well, since I'm a guy, I have to say to you Hinata; I like you a whole lot! And Kyuubi is a girl, so she likes Deidara a whole lot."

'…**WHAT?!**'

'_C'mon Kyuubi! I saw that dream with you in humanoid looks!_'

Kyuubi pouted but went along with the idea. '**AS LONG AS YOU OPEN YOUR EMOTIONS AND TOUCH SENSORS TO ME SO I CAN FEEL WHEN YOU WANT TO COPULATE.**'

'_To what? Eh, nevermind, I think I get it._'

'_Being around Jiraiya really _does_ screw your innocence over._'

"So I was wondering, would you guys consider being with me?" Naruto said seriously and he turned to the other blonde. "I know you like Hinata too Deidara."

Hinata was fully red and gawping like a fish.

Deidara was actually giving it some thought.

Richochet just stared in amusement.

"Yeah, me and Hinata are both twelve and we're nearly thirteen, but Hinata's really mature by being the Hyuuga heir! And Kyuubi made me grow up… even if I act like a kid… but still!" Naruto argued.

"If Hinata agrees, then I will, un. I'm not the jealously possessive type and I'm pretty free like this, un." The blonde sixteen years old stated with a shrug and a grin on his face. "I don't care what age you are, but maybe it should wait for a couple years, un? I don't want to be a cradle robber, un!"

'_Holy shit he actually agreed._' Richochet thought to herself in slight surprise, only raising an eyebrow on the outside. '_Is he-_'

"I'm bisexual anyway."

'_Thought so._'

Hinata looked to Richochet for help.

The girl in question shrugged uncaringly. "Think about it Hinata. You have two attractive blonde after you and you can have both at the same time, too. Who cares if it's taboo having a threesome relationship? If you think you'll be happy, do it. Or at least try it out. They'll defend you if anyone starts anything."

"B-but…" Hinata looked down at her fingers, a sad look on her face.

Richochet frowned, wondering what the hell could be wrong.

Then she realised it.

"Ah, your father right? Well, you're gonna be the heir and head one day right? You might get some leeway or something." She flinched as Hinata looked at her in disbelief. "Or not…" Richochet mumbled feeling like an idiot for a second before bouncing back. "You wanna know what I think?"

"…?"

"Do it."

Hinata gave a sigh. "I'll th-th-think a-about i-i-it."

Naruto gave the short purple haired girl a huge hug. Deidara joined them, burying his head in his, hopefully, 'to-be-girlfriend's' hair with a sigh. He couldn't help liking the Hyuuga Heiress, but what the hell made him want to do as she said and try to please her?

He enjoyed her blushes and sweet attitude. It was a pleasant change from the hard-headed or loud-mouth girls from Iwagakure. He preferred them to be, well, like Hinata-hime was.

"She's right, 'ttebayo." Naruto tightened the hug. Then he smirked over at Richochet. "For once!"

Richochet just scoffed and stood up on shaky legs. "Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes. "Let's just forget that my demon just practically ripped half my humanity from me, why don't we?"

"Oh, you're fine." Naruto replied, waving a hand airily as he let Hinata go and stood up himself. "You're strong enough."

'_But what'll happen if I become weak?_' She thought to herself then shook her head. '_Nah. Never. I'm too damn good._'

'_I… You! You're so damn full of it! I can't wait till Neji wipes the floor with you, dattebayo! That'll bring you down good!_'

Richochet inwardly groaned.

Neji always beat the shit out of her and enjoyed pegging her down.

"Alright, already." She rolled her eyes as him, feeling sleepy and physically exhausted. "I'll be less cocky. Is that what you want?"

"Nope! I don't want you to change! I just want you to ask for help when you need it." Naruto said.

There was a silence.

The blonder gave her a glare. "Like…. Now, dattebayo?"

Richochet gave up, forsaking her pride for the moment. "Naruto, I need someone to carry me back before the Anbu find out what the hell was going on. Will you…" She gulped, hating the words about to sliver from her mouth. "…help me…" She muttered, about to fall over. "…please?"

Naruto smiled happily.

"Anything for a friend!"

Deidara snickered as Naruto picked her up piggyback style. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen, un!"

Richochet glared at him, wishing death upon him. Or at least some type of painful torture or disease. Then she smirked. "Look up, blondie. You see that cloud?" Deidara warily looked up at it. "That's what I call my stalker cloud. It's a thunder cloud that I command."

"…So, un…?" Deidara frowned in confusion. "I don't get it, un?"

Richochet shrugged nonchantly. "I can command it to electrocute you, ya know. BZZP BZZP can mean a deaaaad Deidara, un."

The blonde paled and chuckled nervously.

"I think I get it, un."

"Good puppy Dei-Dei, un."

"Aww, man, un." Deidara pouted at her as Hinata giggled lightly. "You're a meanie, un. C'mon Hinata, un. I'll be a gentleman, un, and make no funny moves either, un." Hinata climbed aboard his back and he held up by the lower thighs. "Wow, you're light, un!"

Richochet shook her head. "Let's go, un." Then she blinked and sweatdropped. "Great. Now you got me saying it."

"All in a days work, un!"

"Meh. Whatever."

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The Hyuuga tenant sighed gratefully as Tsunade accepted everything, including letting Deidara stay with them and becoming a Nin of the same status he was before hand. A Jounin. Of course, he would have to prove himself loyal since the bottom line was that he did betray his own village, but acceptance would come in time.

Hopefully.

Richochet was starting to become familiar with the concept of hope. She found it something of a danger area, but since it had come through for so many others, she'd give some belief to it. Though she didn't rely everything on it like Naruto seemed to do since that wasn't like her. She was more of a 'if its there by your five senses, it's real' type person.

Like one of those business-minded people, see?

Though with Genjutsu and demons in this world, she was starting to break out of that shell.

"Very well, then." Tsunade sighed. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair staring at the original people for the mission. "You two…" She shook her head. "What do I do with you? Bringing back stray missing-nin's as if they were rabid cats off the streets…"

"Hey, un!"

_Iiiig_nored.

"It's like dealing with kids. However, I'm severely impressed you got the Mizukage to sign the treaty." Richochet smirked predatorily as she went into her hip pouch and took out the scroll and opened it before passing it to her. "You're great in the role as leader, Seishou. You'd do well as a hunter-nin captain seeing as missing-nin swarm to you like a magnet."

The girl just shrugged. "I wanna be hunter-nin anyway. Can we go already?"

"Yeah! Do you know how much I wanted ramen?!" Naruto agreed as Hinata winced at their bluntness.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. She ignored him and looked down at the treaty. "Signing treaties, finding two missing-nin, and getting a, let's presume, loyal Jounin." She mumbled. "How do these kids do it?"

"With threats and insults. Duh." Richochet spoke up as she looked out the window and quickly dodged the book thrown at her. "Pissy, much? Kidding! CRAP! Crazy woman…" Richochet ducked behind Naruto much to his protestations as numerous amounts of items were chucked her way viciously.

Tsunade scowled at the girl.

"Here, just take your pay-" She threw two envelopes each at Richochet, Hinata and Naruto, "-AND LEAVE!"

"Thanks Tsunade-baa-san!" Naruto and Richochet chorused before grabbing Hinata and running out of the room so they wouldn't get hit by flying projectiles.

Deidara gave Tsunade a sympathetic look. "I know how you feel, un. I had a Genin team once, un. They pissed me off big time, un. I was glad when they turned Chuunin the same year I got them, un."

She gave the blonde a disbelieving look that this guy could actually know what it was like with these brats - especially Naruto and now Richochet - but nodded. "Tell me about it…" She said with a sigh.

"Richochet-chan was the meanest though, on the mission, I mean, un." He pouted at the times Richochet had teased him. "She likes to taunt and sometimes underestimates, un. Gonna have to get that under control, un. But she's really good at what she does, un."

"Whaaat?" Tsunade drawled out. "Pissing people off?"

Then again, she could see why Richochet would taunt him.

The 'un' at each sentence ending was bound get make fun of a lot.

"Well," Deidara chuckled. "That too, un. She's a good leader, and she looked after and made sure the other two were put first, un. I found them before they found me and watched her take charge with ease, care and precision, un. When she found me though, I didn't realise it, un. Naruto-kun made sure that everything was going fine and was the medium for Richochet-chan and I to start co-operating, un."

"Medium?"

"We teased him, un. I think he knew that though, un. He's pretty intelligent and intuitive, when he wants to be, un. Although he's loud and needs to calm down, un." Deidara thought back. "He'll be a great leader like Richochet-chan, since he was always boosting Hinata-hime self confidence when she did things that helped them, and Richochet-chan followed him, un. He needs to think _more_ though, un."

"And Hinata? You called her Hinata-hime?" Tsunade questioned him with a smile and a feeling of warmth enveloped her for some reason. It was like he was her jounin already. He inspired loyalty and trust within those around him. A good talent for a shinobi to have – the opposite of Richochet and Naruto and Hinata, who others got a wrong impression of first thing. Bitchy, bratty and bashful.

"Yeah, un." Deidara grinned broadly. "One of those little brats started it, un. She secretly likes it; I can tell, un." He winked at the Hokage playfully. "Hinata-hime is a good follower, but she's a great healer and leader too, un. I don't know the feelings of the Hyuuga clan about her, but seeing this and already knowing her kind side, I'd be glad to be part of the Hyuuga family, un."

Tsunade nodded at him.

Deidara looked out the window, spotting the three flying over the roof tops and grinned softly. "She cares, un. I hope she doesn't lose it when she kills. It would be a shame."

The Hokage blinked in surprise.

"You've only known them for five days. How did you get all that?"

Deidara looked back and brushed some hair from his left side to show the camera there. "This records all I see and I can replay it back anytime with barely any thought and a touch of chakra, un. However, I didn't even need it to see how great those kids are, un. Konoha is lucky to have them, un." He looked out the window again. "Why do the people not like them, un? Especially Naruto-kun, un? Is it because of his demon locked in him, un?"

Tsunade stared at him in shock.

"He told the other two and I, un. We accepted him, of course, un." Deidara said smoothly. "The demon in him is a terrifying thought. But not as terrifying as Richochet-kun and Naruto-kun when they haven't had their treats yet, un. You shoulda seen their faces when Hinata-hime and I told them they couldn't go buy first since this came first, un!" He shivered, bottom lip wobbling at the thought. "I thought I was going to go to my doom, un."

Tsunade gave him an odd look. "Uh… huh. Well, you realise you'll be put under watch by a group of Anbu."

"-One more thing, un." Deidara interrupted as he took off his hitae-ate.

Tsunade gasped at the curse mark there, shocked.

"This is my loyalty." Deidara stated seriously. "Hinata-hime will kill me if she feels any killer intent at those she cares for. I let her put it on me. I was willing."

The Hokage looked at him with hard eyes. "I see no reason for Anbu then. Alright. I'll summon an Anbu to show you where you'll be living. You'll then open a bank at the Konohagakure National Bank to transfer what you already have over to Konohagakure currency. Is this fine with you?" The Hokage asked him as she started more paper work.

"Yes, ma'am, un!"

"That's Hokage-sama to you, Jounin Deidara of Konoha."

Deidara grinned widely.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

So, it happens. Didja, like it? I hope so. The chapter will be this length since that's what they originally going to be, maybe a couple hundred less. Heck, looking back, I only had about four thousand four hundred words for the first chapter!

Didn't you like the little Hinata relationship twist? (laughs) I can't believe I actually did it. I think this is the first fic with this threesome in it! Go me!

Ciao!

Ten Words.

_Kidnapped kid. Worri-Concerned. Attractive Lips. Different upbringings, different views._

* * *

**R.**

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	22. Chapter XXII

**Hello, people. And how are you today? I'm in an odd mood. I'm writing weird.**

**Huh.**

_**Hugs to...**_

_Hibiki-chan - Frozen Tempest - Zero Asakura (x2 ch.20 & ch.21) - Masked Ai - Bloody-Moon-Rose - Moogle In Paradaisu - Neko of Light - Blood Zepher - NaraYingyi - SilverMononoke - .Psychotic.Enigma. (Nice name by the by)_

_Maaa... I still haven't read the new Harry Potter book. But I heard a certain SOMEONE dies and comes back to life again because THAT certain SOMTHING was a certain THAT and to be honest, I figured that it would happen. No, I was WAITING for it to happen. If you read it, you know what I'm talking about, if not, like me, then I hope you haven't got any spoilers from this._

_Oh, and thanks for the GLOMP back! You know who y'all are:D_

_Onwards!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**

* * *

**

Richochet and Hinata sighed as they hit home, walking through the long corridors of the huge, expansive and expensive Hyuuga estate.

Hinata smiled at the tired looking Richochet. "We should go to sleep." She said quietly, knowing that Richochet's pride would be hit again if she had said 'you should sleep' instead. And she knew that Richochet's pride, one of the biggest things recognised about her, wouldn't be able to take it. And Hinata was just that nice no to.

"Mm. Sure." She hid a yawn after replying. They continued in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet immensely. They were comfortable in each others significant presence. There were few Richochet could say she was comfortable with and she could access them within moments at any time if she had the need to.

Not many in other words, but enough for her.

Richochet and Hinata stopped outside her door. "Night, Hinata."

"Goodnight, Leader-san."

She waved the girl into her room with a bemused look on her face that slowly became a smirk as she felt and spotted a certain sensei's energy come towards her at a quick pace. Richochet went half way to meet him; opening her bedroom door and leaving it open for him as she sprawled out on the bed.

"Neji-eji sensei." She said in a mocking sing-song voice and he scowled at her briefly before looking her up and down. Sighing, she stood up, turned around slowly, arms up horizontally, before looking face to face with him once more.

"Don't call me that, you brat." He sneered before turning it into a smirk. "Get hurt?" He didn't see any bruises, scratches, cuts, slashes or holes, but she could have healed them. He knew she had some medical expertise… experience. Definitely not expertise. But he still wanted to make sure she was fully recovered.

Richochet was his student so he had a damn right to be worri- concerned. It was Neji's right to be _concerned_. Why would he worry for her? He had to admit she was picking up things pretty well. Though, against Mizu, she was lacking significantly. Still, he was pleased with her progress though he didn't doubt the Raijuu no Rokubi helped things along.

If Naruto caught onto things quick and he was an idiot, why wouldn't Richochet get thing twice as fast?

Richochet could say so many things to that but decided not to bother.

"Nah. I'm too good for that."

He twitched in irritation, giving her a disdainful look and a mocking shake of the head. "That'll come back to kick you in the arse, student of mine. And I'll laugh."

"Let it. I'll take it on full strength." She smirked, arrogance nearly blinding him, and for a Hyuuga, that was a lot. "And when you laugh I knock you one in the kisser."

"Whatever." Neji rolled his eyes, ignoring the thoughts that went into kissing as his eyes flickered to her decidedly attractive – to him at least –looking lips.

Why did this kind of response get into him?

Why?

Damn his hormones to hell and back.

Sure, he'd experienced a crush on Tenten before and even went on a date or two with a fan-girl of his to make sure he knew what he was doing for when someone he liked in the romantic lustful way appeared. And yes, even he would make sure to be with someone. Secretly, he'd always rather liked the thought of family and some children and giving them what he hadn't had. Though he doubted he would be able to give them the freedom because of the Hyuuga curse mark, but it was always a nice thought. A thought that'd never come true but still a thought.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. I will say 'I told you so' just to spite you."

"Charming little bugger. Aren't you." She replied dryly, rolling her eyes back at him.

He just smirked, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Richochet copied him, smirking at his raised eyebrow before he pegged it down to another way of her pissing him off. They turned when they saw a flash of someone turn the corner. Well, Richochet felt it, but they both saw it. Hanabi slowly appeared, looking awake and fresh, much to the immense dislike of Richochet.

She stopped past the two and turned slightly to stare them down with the soulful lavender eyes of the Hyuuga. "I'm training in the courtyard. Don't bother me."

She walked on.

Richochet looked over her shoulder at her retreating form with an evil eye. "Fucking hell. I thought I was bad. Talk about a stiff upper lip. How can one guy produce Miss Mouse and Miss Bitch from the same seeds?"

Neji scoffed at the thought in amusement. "Don't like her?"

"I can't." Richochet said much to the puzzlement of her teacher. "Far too much like me. I can admit to being a bitch." She smirked and turned back to him with glowing eyes against his empty but intense looking ones. "You remember a few weeks back, about the time near the New Year?"

"Yes?" He said as an exhaled sigh, faking boredom. In actual fact, it was rather… pleasant to talk to his student like this without arguing or snipping at each other with idle yet fun insults as each of them tried to get the upper hand or the last word in. Richochet and Neji didn't like talking to each other about their past and for the other-worlder to suddenly talk and open up was…

…Odd for him.

But a good odd.

Richochet was oblivious to his thoughts. "She was lying. I never asked her out to get to know her. I couldn't give a crap to others who I care nothing for unless it benefits me somehow."

"Which is why you get on so well with Rokubi? You're both rather selfish." Neji couldn't believe he was talking so light of a demon.

"Mmhmmm…." She gave him a frown as she remembered he didn't know what she was now and Rokubi went. She was hesitant in fact to tell him, and that puzzled her. She had nothing to fear, so what was it that made her stop? "How'd you know, girly boy?"

He bopped her on the head in the one spot, making her whimper and rub it.

Rokubi went… but she still had her same weak points.

Damn it.

"Just a freaking question… Jeeze."

"Go on, idiot student."

"Fine, fine… So we kinda told each other same favourite things, broke off and let each other wonder around. And before you get pissy." She added on, noting his furious and disbelieving state in he started to work himself into. "I trailed her after locking some of my chakra into one of her tenketsu points while working on my tracking and stealth following skills from the rooftops."

Neji visibly calmed down.

He noticed Richochet twitched for some reason.

"Anyway, I shouldn't have had to, seeing as she lied to me and all and let's not forget the fact that, hey, I'm not a Hyuuga. So it shouldn't be any of my concern. Just know that I did out of the goodness of my heart."

Neji scoffed before chuckling in amusement, unaware of the fact it sent shivers down Richochet's spine.

'_What the… fuck?_'

How can she become so aware so suddenly of him? She shook her head, blaming it on the demon senses she now had. Weasels were vibration masters so they felt things better than they did hearing or seeing.

She subconsciously noted he had a rather nice laugh, too.

His head snapped to face hers a he heard that comment in her mind. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Richochet said quickly, turning away and crossing her arms closer than before, obviously lying. He let it go for now. "She bumped into this Rakuin guy. Damn weird if you asked me. Attractive in a rogue... prince - I suppose you could call it - way though."

"Carry on." He muttered through clenched teeth, wondering why he felt pissed off every time she mentioned some guy he had little knowledge or no knowledge of. The clench in his chest was rather horrible when this feeling overcame him, pissing him off and making him grumpy.

"And speaking of attractive there's this other blonde we took back from the mission I went on. He looks so feminine I was wondering if it was a Genjutsu or Henge… He always ends his sentences with un, unless it's important. Care-free guy, likes to look good – And I mean _good _in the hottest of ways since even I'm not that blind and arrogant as not to admit it – and likes to touch. The guy likes to lean on you in a very friendly way…"

Richochet peeked at Neji before smirking and turning away.

Neji was seething silently.

Red.

Pure red anger.

"Hanabi. Rakuin. **Now.**"

Richochet decided to be nice and stop teasing him by adding something. "Alright, alright. But he is one fine piece of art. His girlfriend is so damn fucking lucky." Richochet took some joy in her teasing as Neji seemed to get even more pissier knowing she'd caught him in a web of taunting and made him embarrass himself. "Anyway, then I see them - we're on the Hanabi Rakuin situation here - damn well making faces at each other. I mean, they're practically in love here."

He didn't hear her go on.

The word 'love' had smashed something into him as if he were in a car that scratchily screamed to a stop. His breath caught at the word. He looked up, nodding to her absently, even though he was sure she realized he wasn't concentrating anymore.

Why did that word have such an effect on him?

He thinned his lips in annoyance.

Neji turned to her, roughly speaking up. "Get some sleep. I forgot that Hiashi need to see me as soon as possible."

It was a lie, so what?

Neji needed some time to sort himself out.

She'd get over it.

Richochet scowled at being brushed off like that.

"What the hell? You're brushing me off like that? And you just _so suddenly _remembered that, huh?"

Neji glared at her sarcastic tone before pointing to the bed. When she didn't move apart from to breath and raise a brow in feigned unknowing, he took her by the shoulders, pushed her over and knocked her knees against the bed harshly making her sit down.

Then leaning forward, he watched in amusement as she leaned back with each inch he went back until he was pretty much leaning over her while she lay down comfortably, eyeing him warily. His lips twitched in dry hilarity as she glared back with an annoyed pout. That same pout again. It really was quite adorable on her otherwise somehow attractive looks.

Attractive…

Those same lips that talked about _other_ attractive beings in front of him.

A frown pulled at his features as the straps of his hitae-ate dangled on each side of her head, the tips of his hair brushing up against her upper right arm silkily.

"I don't like you talking about your attractions to me... Unless you want me to do… _something_ about it."

Richochet gazed up at him, not liking being in such a submissive position, but thought about his words, trying to ignore the stroking of his hair that moved along her arm as he spoke or the way his eyes took on a dark light.

That dark light…

She'd seen them… had them before.

Those were…

"…Jealous eyes."

He took a sharp breath in before getting off from over her, not liking his weakness being said by someone he didn't want to seem weak in front of. And especially not by this one who would use it to her advantage. That was the reason.

The only reason, right?

Right?

'_Shit. I don't know. She's screwed everything up when it comes to my emotions._' He thought viciously before exiting the minimalist room. "Get some sleep."

"Che… Whatever… G'night, Neji-eji-sen-"

"Shut up and sleep."

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* * *

"Get up. It's an emergency." 

Richochet sat up blearily, tossing the covers away from her, baring her form clad in only a small, light sleeping kimono of powder blue. It was a bad colour on he that didn't go well with her features, but she liked it anyway. _And_ it was the only colour she found the sleeping kimonos in, in the Hyuuga Estate, funnily enough. Not white, lavender or silver, as were the Hyuuga colours.

She looked at him, rubbing sleeping out of her eyes, feeling crabby and shitty as if she hadn't had a decent bit of sleep for days.

Oh wait.

She hadn't.

And unconsciousness wasn't sleeping.

Wait.

Emergency?

Neji had never said that before. And it definitely was an emergency if he was chucking some clothes out of her wardrobe at her. "What the hell's the problem, Neji?" Richochet swore as a piece of clothing was smacked into her eyes accidentally. "Fuck! Well, excuse me for getting up at…" She looked at her clock and growled. "Four thirty six… Two hours sleep?!"

The Hyuuga branch member sneered at her thorough trashing of the spoken language but paused at that deadly sound coming from his student as he grabbed some black shinobi sandals in mid halt, about to place them at her bed.

"Shit, I've only slept for two hours… Do you realize I won't be at my best having just gotten back from a trip? And let's go to the fact that this has been the most strenuous one I'll ever do…"

Neji frowned but only said three words to that. "Hanabi's been taken."

Richochet snapped her head to his, her hands absently carrying on shedding her clothing. She noted Neji's unwanted miniscule blush but paid no mind to it as she chucked on her old training outfit from the other world in record speed, shoving on the sandals quickly after. "How? When? Who?"

"It was when she was, presumably, training outside Konohagakure's walls. Due to weather conditions and general safety of that specific area it was thought by many who go there to train to be extra safe. This happened moments ago and the one who 'witnessed' it was that Rakuin guy. He's pacing outside the house. He claims to know her well."

"Why am I not surprised…?" Richochet muttered darkly to herself, shoving on a kunai holster. There was something about him that she didn't like. No, that wasn't right. There was something connected to him she didn't like, but it was apart of him at the same time.

"Hmph. You should have told me, us, one of the Hyuuga, about him."

Richochet sneered at the scolding tone. It wasn't her fault the kid didn't listen to her. "Excuse me? I warned the girl off of strangers by reminding her of her status and family. Hell, I practically bruised it into her while pulling her back here, so shove it, _Hyuuga_. It's not my fault if she didn't think my warning appropriate enough."

Neji didn't like her calling _him_ by his clan name instead of his given name. "Some random Nuke-Nin. Twenty plus. And it's Neji to you. Call me by my given name, not my clan. I won't answer to anything else from you when not on missions that need it."

She scoffed at his demanding tone, wondering how Tenten and Lee had put up with it since he was a lot more emotive around her than them. And wondering why he bothered to make her do this.

She grabbed the brush that was on the desk next to the bed and made sure it was somewhat good for tying back. Taking the black elastic hair band that was on the handle of the brush, she tied her hair up to keep it out of the way in a high ponytail so it wouldn't snag on anything. A very short manageable ponytail appeared in place of the wild untameable hair; barely hitting the back of her neck it was so short.

"Whatever." The reply was uncaring, as if trying to push him away.

Neji scowled at the abrupt change in personality. He felt it as if something shifted in him as if his stomach turned over and produced grumpier feelings. It was as if she had turned back to the person he'd first met. A person he had to say he'd rather not see her as now he'd seen the more teasing argumentative side of her rather then the cold, acidic, philosophic one she was before. She was fine yesterday.

What was with the moods?

Was Rokubi acting up?

"What is wrong with you?" He demanded. "A while ago you were telling me of your time with Hanabi in a pleasant way and now you're acting… like when I first met you."

Richochet blinked before reviewing her actions in her mind. '_I was?_' She decided that, yes, she was. "Crap. I am. Some stuff happened, and it's only really hit me now I'm waking up and forgetting to reign in my emotions like usual." She turned to him giving him a 'sorry' look. "I didn't mean to. And I'm… feeling kinda crap for doing it to you."

There was no way she would apologize for feeling like shit.

Knowing it was all he would get out of her; he rolled his eyes, took her by the elbow and dragged her out as she grabbed her white parka.

Seeing as there was still some feint traces of evil winds outside, it was sure to be cold still. She didn't fancy being cold anymore, preferring warmer climates, most likely because of Rokubi merging with her. Or rather, she just didn't want to be out and about without feeling as if she wasn't wrapped in that nice warm cover on her bed.

Richochet yawned minutely as she came outside.

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* * *

Rakuin noticed her and frowned before walking over to them. 

She raised a brow at him as he spoke up in that melodic voice of his. "I heard she'd been taken when the travellers coming through hurriedly noted the Two Chuunin at the gate I was leaving through." He explained with a worried tone to his voice. "I came to the Hyuuga Estate as fast as possible as one of the Chuunin went to the Hokage's tower."

"I suppose we owe you our thanks." Neji replied drolly, staring at him with piercing pupil-less silvery lavender eyes. Rakuin met the gaze head on, not dropping it once. "Though I find it odd you are still here. Your job is done, and as much as we thank you, why are you still here?"

"Hanabi-chan is my friend." He replied in a matter-of-fact tenor. His eyes narrowed as he carried on. "I will not have her harmed. Nor will I simply walk away when she's been taken."

"You care for her?" Richochet questioned with a slight note of confusion. "So soon?" She scoffed. "Please."

Rakuin thinned his lips in annoyance.

Richochet blinked at the first look of negative emotion on his face.

He didn't come off to her as a negative person, more of a care free individual instead of serious.

Huh.

A small smirk lit her lips.

Interesting.

"Just because you don't, doesn't mean that I can't."

Richochet scowled in his direction, the smirk dropping off like water, before ignoring him in favour of trying to scout of Hanabi's chakra waves as she absently replied to him. "Friends don't care that much in just three weeks. Especially not experienced ninja." She gave him a pointed stare.

Rakuin looked rather embarrassed. "My ways are different to yours. I know ninja don't live that long unless retired and I'm simply making the most of it while I'm still alive. I know there're those stronger than me and I know I could run into them at any time and I may not be so lucky."

"Tch."

She still didn't trust him even if what he spoke was the truth.

Neji simply watched the two as Rakuin seemed happy he got through to the girl and Richochet seemed thoughtful. He wasn't going to judge seeing as his thoughts of emotions and their power over a length of time was the same as Richochet's but he also knew such emotions did happen to some people. It was obvious his student didn't and couldn't comprehend trust and affection so quickly because of her past.

Which was a shame, he supposed. It noted she was still pretty weak and slow when it came to such things. So it was no wonder she hadn't made many friends outside of those she saw everyday. It didn't seem she wanted to either.

To be honest, though, nor could he.

Then again, with different upbringings, it makes different views on things.

Turning around as Rakuin looked over her shoulder, feeling a set of chakra approach, she noted who had come.

"Hyuuga-sama." The lava eyed girl stated formally, raising a brow.

"I would have you stay and protect Hinata if your Seishou blood wasn't so helpful to me in retrieving my second born." Hiashi stated a tint of anger to his voice.

'_If this fuckers' angry at me…_' Her eyes narrowed dangerously, holding her demon blood in as it boiled at the indignation, using sheer will to stop her from making him submit in the most animalistic of ways. A beast seemed to roar in her mind but she calmed it down with promises of the fight later.

She wondered why she was so… up and down lately.

'_Puberty?_'

Neji gave her an odd look.

She shrugged.

'Weird girl.'

A sweatdrop fell down her temple.

* * *

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* * *

Rakuin looked around with narrowed eyes, using his experience to note that the forest was rather… similar. 

Too similar.

He put his hands in the tiger sign weave and gave a short, "Kai." He made sure to insert a little extra chakra in case. A small sound made his instincts scream at him to jump into another thick trunked tree. His eyes narrowed at the sight of three shuriken that would have hit his vitals should they have been successful.

He really wasn't in the mood to deal with these fools.

Not with his little object of infatuation in danger.

So she was younger, by a few years. So what? He was going to keep her; he wouldn't let her get away. Her father as head of the clan be damned. What he said to Richochet just an hour earlier was the truth.

His hand twitched before grabbing a small scroll and biting his thumb when the three ninja attacking jumped into the clearing. A poof of smoke later, giving away his slightly hidden position and a huge Naginata was held behind him with the right hand.

It was at least six foot, including the foot and a half blade. Intricate deigns of a kanji blessing for survival and strength glittered over in silver on the smooth ebony surface, and was specifically from his destroyed village. His own brother had created this as a birthday gift. He was a professional blacksmith, and this just happened to be one of his finer pieces before his passing. It gleamed deadly in the evening light as the sun slowly set.

'_Kill them. Kill them._' A voice tempted in his head, purring out its' delight of the idea. It was feminine, very enticing and Rakuin grimaced before placing an emotional shield up. His game face was on. '_For me? You know what I let you do with mine…_' She said oh so innocently, much to Rakuin's embarrassment.

Rakuin tried not to let the blush show on his mind as he quickly placed up a Genjutsu. Damn that woman. Had to say things with an innuendo, knowing he would think that way immediately. It wasn't his fault he was a shy but gentlemanly type.

Shaking the thoughts on his own personality, he grinned in satisfaction as they looked around, blind, deaf, and unfeeling as they stood like a cattle of sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

'_How true._'

'For once, lady, I'm agreeing with you.' Rakuin replied absently, jumping down and swinging his Naginata, easily slicing off the first persons' head with a slick and sick slurp, making him give a face of disgust at the sound. Blood and tendons spurted across the ground as the silent killing method succeeded once more.

The other two, sensing their comrade die – which was the only down to such a Genjutsu as the Heisoku no jutsu – started to swipe out and back away from the place of killing. They wore hitae-ate's with slashes through obviously mist logo's. He frowned in confusion and some worry.

Hadn't they just signed a peace treaty a few days ago?

If they did… He should capture one and give him to Morino Ibiki. Yes, he knew Morino Ibiki. Anyone with any sense knew not to get captured, especially by Konoha-nin. Not with Ibiki still around at least. He was just… cruel. The fact that he enjoyed it made it very unwelcoming.

He quickly smite the other idiot ninja who was just about to use the dispel sign himself and took out some wire. Smashing the butt of the Naginata's counterweight against the shoulder of the man, he quickly put the Naginata on the floor and tied him up.

A branch family member appeared, a female, with choppy coffee coloured hair and bulging veins on the sides of her face. She was dressed in the style of the fighting Hyuuga kimono, but it was obviously for females with buttons tying each side of the haori and slits up the skirt to the waist.

Rakuin didn't let his guard down.

He couldn't sense any Henge on her, but was still wary.

"I am Hyuuga Seine. Would you like to go on as I take him back?" She looked at the hitae-ate and scowled. "Damn mist nin. How dare they try that again...?"

Rakuin relaxed slightly. It was tight knowledge this had happened twice now and they didn't want it to shame their family by having it common knowledge.

"Sure. Be careful." He warned.

Seine nodded calmly. "To warn you, there are ten left. Currently they are racing back to their homeland, in a group of seven and three with a fake copy of Hanabi-sama. However, something is off. Try to stun rather than needlessly kill. They aren't acting as they had done so six years ago with Hinata-sama." She picked the caught Nuke-nin up easily, bowed as much as she could and silently dashed off.

Rakuin frowned. He had noticed the bad skill or rather, the sloppy skill.

What was up with these Nuke nin?

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet diligently ran through the trees slightly behind Neji, both racing at a swift pace the latter started them at. Rakuin had stated that it best they split up to cover more ground and both had reluctantly agreed, not liking being told what to do, preferring the leader role. 

She would have followed Rakuin, who went to the east of their position, when the said guy left but Neji had demanded she stay with him so he could keep a look out for her. It grated on her independent nature, but she let it slide. This was only the second mission they had been on together and he hadn't seen all the tricks she knew.

Annoying, but whatever.

Narrowing her eyes, she pushed out the thought, jumping easily over another branch and trying to strengthen her eyes with extra chakra. Lights blared at her, making her beast growl in the back of her head. It pawed out to her chakra veins at the back of her eyes, making sure a small removal of chakra from a specific area was managed and suddenly, the light from forest animals, reptiles, fish and birds disappeared – much to her relief – and only humans were left. The beast purred in pleasure and retreated, but was still very aware.

Mentally stroking the beast on the sweet spot she liked, it humbled itself and calmed, completely forgetting the anger it held at Hiashi.

Looking around she realised she could feel the Nuke-nin and see beams of light from their tenketsu. Hanabi was knocked out it one of their arms, being held rather carefully in a position one would hold a baby, a hand supporting her neck and head. She hadn't the Byakugan, but the tenketsu were plenty that she could see the position of-

"Richo-!"

WHAM!

"…chet." Neji looked down to the ground from the rather large person shaped outline in the tree. His lips twitched and face twisted, trying to hold gales of laughter in. He couldn't help the snickers erupt as she dazedly got up and looked around as if lost for a moment before blinking into life again and blinking at his form.

He turned away so she wouldn't see his face creasing up in laughter lines.

"Wha…?" She rubbed her forehead in confusion before realising what she had done. "Oh hell… I did not just do that."

Neji chuckled louder.

"Hey, shut up!"

"…pfft.."

"Neeeejiiii!" She growled and jumped up to his side

He burst out into laughter, almost not able to breathe when he saw her face and the huge developing bruise on her forehead and nose. "You… had such a look of concentration and then you just…." He couldn't help but laugh again.

Richochet scowled and crossed her arms, making him laugh louder.

"Stop fucking laughing! It's not that fucking funny!"

Neji just continued, leaning against a tree to support him, unable to believe someone like… HER would do such a thing.

"…"

"…"

"…You done yet?"

"…Does it look like I'm done yet?"

"You're turning into Naruto!"

Neji slowed down and then glared at her.

She smirked. "Kidding."

He glared but couldn't help chuckling, making her roll her eyes.

"Stupid sensei…" She muttered, jumping away feeling as if her ego just got pummelled into oblivion, putting a hand up to spark lightning into her face when he wasn't looking.

"Need me to carry you so you don't bump into any more trees?"

"Fuck. You."

"You sure?"

"…I'm going to knock you into tomorrow if you don't can it."

"Alright then."

"If we weren't on a mission, I'd kick your arse."

"You'd have to make sure there were no trees around first."

He dodged the bolt of lightning with a smirk and a chuckle.

"Oh… piss off…!"

Neji couldn't help the grin of satisfaction on his face the whole way and bolts of reddish gold lightning sparked around her covertly.

Thank god for kidnappings.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Rakuin raised a brow when the last Nin holding Hanabi hostage didn't move after seeing his companions get knocked unconscious rather violently with a lethal looking weapon. Light blue eyes looked into his own darkened ones and then became disappointed. The naginata wielder narrowed his eyes, suspicious. 

"I guess the games up. The name's Yugi."

"What?"

"Knock me out." Yugi insisted, putting Hanabi down against the tree, aware of Rakuin's unblinking gaze. He turned back to him. "Do it."

'Mist nin are weird.' The rescuer decided before doing as he said.

Yugi fell to the ground, a peaceful look on his face.

"This is just… too easy."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Tsunade grimaced and rubbed her temples in frustration. 

"You…" She sighed, eyeing her desk drawer that held her stash of goodies.

A.K.A…

…Alcohol.

"...Why didn't you just ask?"

Yugi merely smiled. "We felt the best way was to do something rather like this. Our rules from the treaty do state that if Nin from our country do something like this, then the Mizukage will have to pay the piper himself."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Hinata and Richochet, who had the decency to look somewhat guilty. "What did you do to the treaty?"

"Well…" Richochet said as the whole group of Nuke-nin, Hyuuga, Jiraiya – who was probably there for the ride and amusement -, Shizune and Tsunade stared at her. "I kind of… wrote something extra."

Hinata stepped forward once, blushing at the staring. "It was m-my idea. W-We added an e-extra term to the a–a-agreement during the ride over the sea to K-Kiri's mainland where the Mizukage l-lives."

"Yup." Richochet stood next to her and a little in front to shield her slightly as she gripped onto Richochet's parka secretly. A smirk lit her face as she stared them all down, daring them to say anything to interrupt her. "We didn't like what the Mizukage was doing… so… even if it were a criminal offence we did or some crap like that, we gave them a chance to get rid of that greedy bastard. I'm glad to see they utilized it."

Yugi nodded. "I'm dolphin."

"You felt familiar." Richochet gave him a once over. "Though, I thought I told you Hinata was their heir?"

"We would have taken her and explained, but hunter-nin were trailing and the younger was there." Yugi nodded to her and then turned to Hiashi before going onto his knee and bending his forehead to touch the ground. "We apologize for worrying you."

The other awake mist nin copied.

Hiashi thinned his lips. "I must say I don't understand the whole thing." He turned to Hinata. "Explain."

Hinata felt light headed but Richochet nudged her. "Act like you did against the Mizukage. Think of yourself as another person if it helps." She whispered under her breath.

Hinata nodded and immediately thought herself to be a mixture of Neji, Naruto and Richochet. She straightened and turned to her commanding officer, Tsunade. Her father held back a twitch in irritation. "We wrote a last term before we hit the island of Kirigakure. _If any offence of the highest nature is committed against Konohagakure or any inhabitants of Konohagakure by the Nin Mizukage presides over, the Mizukage ruling during the time the offence was committed them self will come forth to apologize. The same goes for the Hokage. When he or she does, then they are to agree to a contract of apology that will state the payment. If they decline doing so, then the Mizukage will have to face losing their title in a battle in a place agreed by both parties fighting a battle based on the rules set by the offended country. To protect both parties, a council member without bias from each side will witness the contract._"

Richochet put a hand on her shoulder as those who knew the girl were astonished at her words spoken without stutters. "And so, we push forward that it has affected many parties and could be taken as a sign of war against Konoha and a sign of sabotage to the second in line to the most powerful clan in the village. Thanks Hinata." She gave a wink to her. "Mizukage didn't read it since we kind of…"

"…Threatened him." Yugi added in helpfully and merely smiled at Richochet who glared at him after receiving the full fired angry scowl from Tsunade. "All for the good of our peace. We owe much to the team and its' Jounin leader and ask you not to punish them."

"It was kind of Naruto's fault for placing the idea in our head that we should kick Mizukage out of his seat." Richochet shrugged. "Hinata got the idea, and Hinata and Deidara dictated it to me and I added a touch to make both parties involved protected so it sounds as if a higher up thought it up. It took a while to get things write and it still sounds sucky."

Neji shook his head at the two, unable to believe they would be so… so… ugh. He just couldn't believe it. To think his innocent, naïve and sweet cousin would be so… Richochet-like was uncanny.

And kind of frightening.

He didn't think he could put up with two Richochet's without losing his cool.

Rakuin on the other hand, was vaguely amused by it. He was a little pissed off the mist-nin had used Hanabi, but he understood the situation for what it was. He remembered being there a good two months ago before coming to Konoha and he couldn't stand the way Mizukage ruled. The people were poor and undernourished. They lived with at least three families in each house and the homeless littered the streets with orphans abound.

It was absolutely disgusting.

Bandits had come many times to one particular area. He himself had helped to run them off by killing as many as he could and didn't ask for anything in return. Of course, you had to ignore the fact there wasn't much they could give apart from a half decent meal which was better than what they usually ate.

The village was bordering on collapsing as well. There was barely any well fed children, which produced less than good ninja's even if some of them were genius' in the making, giving the nin as an overall bad army. There was barely any council to speak of. Some had mysteriously died while others were seduced by money and other indulgent things they yearned for.

He turned to Hanabi, who was leaning on him in her sleep, much to her fathers' irritation. At least she was safe all along. He was so worried when she'd been taken, fearing for her life. However, he knew he couldn't stay long in Konohagakure. Rules were strict when it came to being a homeless-nin such as himself and he couldn't stay in any village longer than a set amount of sixty days.

"Exactly what are the terms for the fight?" Tsunade finally spoke up. "In Konoha, we have to have at least two different nin plates thinking another kage is to be de-throne. The fight rule we have is that, as he is Mizukage, he has to fight against a chosen from Konohagakure and from another country who agrees with the Mizukage title being taken off the Mizukage."

"We have the same rules." Yugi said in a clear voice, standing up now.

Jiraiya spoke up. "Since a certain team did certain things to the-"

"Oh no!" Richochet said, scowling at him. "There's no way _I'm_ going up against a Kage. And in this situation? You gotta be kidding."

Neji stood next to her. "I agree."

"Hokage-sama," Hiashi spoke up. "I would prefer to fight for my clans' honour. Richochet is merely a Genin."

"She is also a Lightning Mistress." Jiraiya added as a thoughtful note. Tsunade looked surprised and she turned to the girl curiously. Richochet nodded her agreement. "Water's greatest weakness is lightning. Mizukage currently is the weakest one there is out of the Kage's and out of the past Mizukage." He turned to the foreign nin. "Would you have a person in mind for the next Mizukage?"

"There are few candidate of worth…" Yugi replied, thinking back. "Though, we wouldn't mind having Naruto or Richochet for the title. They'd both do well with their personalities."

"You've got to be kidding! No!" Neji and Richochet stated at the same time.

Then they gave each other frowns.

"I figured you would say no… but…"

"I figured you'd want to be one." Neji stated with a raised eyebrow. "Being the person you are."

"…You _trying_ to start a fight?"

"Tree hugger."

"Shut! Up!"

"Hmph."

"Ugh." They turned away from each other, a smirk on Neji's lips in victory and a glare on Richochet's as she peered out the window into the dark sky. "That's a no by the way Dolphin… And Naruto wants to be Hokage not Mizukage. Anyway, I have different visions for my future and it doesn't involve being a Kage."

Neji turned to her in interest. "What visions then?"

"Secret."

He twitched and glared at her as she gave him a victory smirk back.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and turned to Rakuin who stood up. "Aomokuzai-san, would you consider being the other country fighter?"

"Yes. However, I have by the day after tomorrow to leave Konoha." Rakuin warned her and she nodded in acknowledgement. "So the fight can't be in Konoha. Maybe Suna as I leave for there to be my next destination?"

"It's not suitable for either country's advantage. No water and no foliage." She mused and then nodded after another thought. "Good idea. Very well." The blonde stood back and slammed a hand down. "Rakuin, Richochet, step forward."

Richochet's lips went into a straight line but she stood in front of the wooden desk next to Rakuin. She guessed since there was no reason to distrust him since he had rescued Hanabi with unfailing loyalty in friendship. And anyway, it was pretty hard to hate a person who could so easily fall in love and be gentle with their chosen object of infatuation.

They were now neutral in her mind and tilting to trust. This person helped someone related to those she cared for. She might as well give it a try, right?

"You two will now be on an S-class mission. Both of you will train with these men." Tsunade looked up to see nods from the nuke-nin, agreeing to it. "I would like for you to learn all weaknesses of the Mizukage."

Richochet blinked. '_Is one of his weakness women? I could use that Harem no jutsu._'

'_I'll teach you and that guy, 'ttebayo!_'

'_Thanks. Was I right about you wanting to be Hokage and not Mizukage?_'

'_Yup!_' The yellow haired brat cheerfully exclaimed as Kyuubi rolled her eyes in his head.

'_Good._'

'_This is our land!_'

"You cannot lose. This is for the good of both our countries. You'll get the mission scrolls tomorrow." Tsunade said with a deadly voice. "Got it?"

Rakuin and Richochet looked at each other with feelings of dread.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

'_This is gonna hurt worse than the dream training, isn't it?_'

Naruto agreed. '_Yeah. You're not gonna get much sleep anymore._'

'_Tell me about it. Stupid Jiraiya._'

* * *

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* * *

_The things I do to Richochet... If she were real she would really pound me one, smirk and walk off as if nothing happened. What a meanie._

_Still, what do you think? Don't get too 'holy crap -Mizukage fight?!' It won't be long at all. Bah, gave away a spoiler again. I think. __Deidara's in the next one! XD! And I lub him to death._

_I won't be able to update for a while, so please hold on. It will be up before the end of next season. Promise._

Ten Words.

_G.A.D. Double Time. Sleep. Stars. Imagination. Picnic. Impressed. Stadium. Nerves._

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**R.**

* * *


	23. Chapter XXIII

**Where was I? You nosy lot, you! I lost my laptop which had this chapter on. It originally was only half written (two thousand words, maybe?) today so I finished it off. Not checked over much and smaller than average since I like to aim for six thou, but whatever I suppose. Still, I wanted you guys to have something to read when I got it back. **

**Ya missed me? Oh and the next will be within the next two weeks. PROMISE.**

_Huggles and welcome backs to..._

_First and foremost - A huge shout out and love to Joster13! Holy Hell girl! You reviewed them all! Crazy love to ya! I love the picture of two Richochet's in my mind and Neji dying - I can see it! I really can!_

_Moogle In Paradaisu - Devil-Speaker - Zero Asakura - NaraYingyi - Frozen Tempest - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Hibiki-chan - SilverMononoke - Neko of Light - Ugly.Beautiful - CatrinaCat45 - MaskedAi - BloodZephyr - Songo714 - Sanya12 - Ninian of Shadow Sworn - Psychotic.Enigma_

_Onwards, lovies!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**

* * *

**

"Up."

Richochet grunted and did as her sensei bid. It seemed that ever since the Mizukage fight, he'd been using her harder than anything. Getting up, she ignored the smudges of dirt and sweat over her Hyuuga training clothes she wore when with Hanabi, minus the parka jacket that was next to an empty tray on the side of the courtyard. She went into position once more, hands palm forward in the traditional Juken beginning stance.

"You know," She smirked wickedly, and Neji knew what ever she said next would twist his emotions. "With all this slamming me down to the ground and standing over me that you _want_ me on my back."

Neji twitched. '_I just had to be right._' He glared at her

Her orange eyes narrowed as her smirk intensified. "Oh, I'm not hearing any objections? Eh, Neji-eji?" She mocked.

Taking in a deep breath, the Hyuuga Genius smirked, wondering if he would regret these next words. "If it shut you up then maybe I should dominate you, hm? Richochet?"

Richochet scowled at the verbal blow, ignoring the blush that threatened to rise.

"Or would you like that?"

She twitched, making Neji's ego heighten.

"I hear no objections."

The hanyou glared at him deeply, ignoring the way her blood pumped through her double time and her adrenaline rushed. "Shut up!" Richochet muttered, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "…Stupid sensei." Then she smirked. "You know, you've become a whole lot more open with me around. Have I been _rubbing_ off on you?" Her eyes flickered over his body slowly, leisurely.

Neji stilled as his hormones reacted. "You wish…" He mumbled looking away with a slight blush.

"U-Um… Richochet? Deidara is-"

"HERE, UN!"

Richochet felt a different energy come into her senses and system and smirked. "Blondie. How's Konohagakure been for ya? Get groped by a couple of guys, girly man?"

"You're mean, un! And I came all this way to say hi, un!" Deidara pouted at her childishly before breaking out into a grin. "I did get groped though, that was disturbing, un. Groped and Disturbed. G-A-D! Gad… I was GADDED!" He jogged over to her side and engulfed her within a huge hug. He felt her relax for two seconds before pushing back and blinked in confusion. "That's the shortest hug I've EVER had, un! What, un? Do I smell bad, un?"

Richochet chuckled. Deidara was really amusing to her. "You smell tolerable." She pointed out. "I smell like sweat and body odour."

"Tolerable, un…" He mumbled, pouting. "Not even clean or fresh, un. Just tolerable, un."

"**Who** is_**that?**_" A voice venomously demanded.

A chill settled down all three's back as Neji scowled at them. Or rather Deidara.

'_Whoa, I didn't know he could give out killer intent in anything other than his words…_' Richochet thought to herself, slightly impressed as she looked at him in a new light, giving him an appraising look unconsciously.

Neji smirked at her before returning the scowl to his face as he took in Deidara. '_This is that blonde she was talking about, hmm._' He crossed his arms. '_Not impressed. He's not _that_ good looking either. He's not that broad shouldered, lean and rather feminine. She can't possibly find herself attracted to him… Can she?_'

"Deidara, former member of Iwa and now part of Konoha's Nin, un." The blonde said, somewhat unsure. '_It's like a male, angry version of Richochet and Naruto combined when they hadn't had their favourite treats, un. Very scary, un. What's with these kinds of people that Richochet knows in Konohagakure, un? It's as if she attracts these strange people to her, un._'

"Hyuuga Neji." The teen replied reluctantly, his manners coming through. "Now get off her, we're training. Double time."

'_Aw, shit._' Richochet sighed mentally, crossing her arms petulantly. '_I thought we were at double time._'

Neji's mouth twitched upwards at the stray thought.

"Why're you here, Deidara?" Hinata asked shyly, hands in front of her, fingers knotted together. She'd stopped doing the odd twiddling with her fingers weeks ago and felt proud of herself for not showing her nervousness in front of anyone anymore.

She secretly hoped father had noticed.

"I figured, since I have a break for now for today, we could get the bunch of us to go star watching, un." Deidara grinned at his ingenious idea and awaited the good news.

There was a silence in the courtyard.

Hinata smiled at the idea, already thinking of what to bring.

She hadn't been on a star watching break since she was young and maybe it was time to go again.

Who else would be going?

Naruto?

Some of the rookie nine and Gai's team as well?

Yes, Hinata was looking forward to this.

Neji didn't want to go near the blonde and nor did he want the two girls in the courtyard to go with him.

He felt an instant dislike to the man.

He was blonde.

He was rather upbeat.

He was reminding Neji of a certain blonde idiot that usually held the attention of his student, and Neji didn't like it.

Once again, Neji found he wasn't a happy bunny.

Richochet didn't care either way, but if it could secure a break from the teacher she was all for it. Neji was a little intense in his training when he was teaching her and solely looking at her. It was a little heated and she had to cool off via shower afterwards.

Richochet broke it, awkwardly. "I suppose I don't mind stars… Who's going?"

"Only the rookie nine, Naruto's little friends and your teachers' team, un." Deidara grinned, oblivious to the nervousness in her voice as he looked up at the darkening sky.

Neji was not.

She felt his piercing stare on her as she let her thoughts wonder. Going on an outing with a bunch of kids her age? She'd never gotten used to the others, and there was some she hadn't even met yet. It was hard to get along with those she wasn't comfortable with. She still wasn't used to this social interaction with people outside her little circle of companions she'd made in this world. This wasn't a mission where everyone had set roles to play out and not get in the way of others.

This was where others could touch her, get to know her and be – God forbid – friendly with her.

And she wasn't too sure if she wanted to go there.

She had trust issues.

But there had to be stepping stones to get over them. Maybe this was one?

Then the sudden feeling of comfort ran into her, warming up her chilled veins and stiff muscles before settling down in its intensity. It was a most definite pleasant feeling that drifted in her as if she were bathing on a surfboard in a warm sea. Her muscles instantly relaxed and you could visually see it.

Neji smirked at his accomplishment, silently applauding himself for his creative imagination and will power. Then again he was just that good, so – wait a second. Didn't she always say that? He mentally groaned, drawing Richochet's attention. He shook his head slightly.

Shrugging slightly, she went to her thoughts. '_Star watching huh?_' Richochet looked up at the darkening sky herself. '_I did that with Rakuin after the battle with Mizukage… Now that mêlée was what I call simple…_'

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* * *

_Richochet stared around her, disbelieving so many people had come to the stadium they would use for the decisive battle of whether or not Mizukage would be stripped of his title._

_She saw representatives from her home land up in the stands next to Dolphin as she preferred to call him. The head of the Hyuuga clan had come, as well as that kind Hyuuga Clan Elder from that meeting. Also, there was Hinata, Hanabi and Neji, Naruto and Tsunade and a group of Anbu. Not only that, but since they were in Suna, the sand siblings had come and Naruto was charming Gaara into talking, even if they were single syllabic monotone words._

_The rest were from Suna and Wave itself, hoping that they'd go home with a new leader. She frowned and looked at the place itself. It was rather like the Chuunin exams place in Konoha, except in Sunagakure._

_She gave a small sigh, crossing arms over her clothing. It was the training ones she ha back on Earth. Black shorts, spaghetti strap top and shinobi sandals, a large baggy jumper that hid her weights and her hair was in a simple small bun, bangs flicking over her eyes slightly. Shoving her hands into her pockets she looked over to Rakuin._

_He was actually looking nervous, obviously not liking being the centre of attention at much as she minded it. "This is a lot of people…" he mumbled to her and she nodded in agreement._

"_I'm used to fifty times less." Richochet said absently, scanning the crowds and noting their anxious and excited looks. "These people seem to love it. They can't wait to see what a thirteen year old and a seventeen year old can do."_

_Rakuin smiled slightly at her and nodded. "We just have to remember our training. I'll distract with some moves and you go for the lightning path, alright?"_

"_I _know_ what I'm doing when it comes to fights." She remarked irritably, not liking anyone but those closest to her commenting on her skill in remembering. She had a rather good memory thank you very much. Oh wait, he was nervous. Gotcha. "Why so nervous? You'll forget them when it begins, didn't cha know? And I'm here to get you out of trouble, so don't sweat it."_

_Rakuin nodded again, ignoring her slight sarcastic barb and straightened up._

"_Yeah you better straighten up, bitch." She mumbled, ignoring Rakuin's glare. Considering his unease, it was rather weak. She was feeling the effects of peoples' judgement herself but stood tall. "I'm a Taurus, I stand tall and can be as strong, stubborn and emotionless as they come. I am a Horse with an inner animal that a snake, I can be as scintillating and quick-witted as they come. Why isn't this helping?!" She whispered the end violently to herself._

_Richochet hated the crowds._

_That was it._

_But she was a Seishou, and her pride stopped her from running at light speed on out of there._

_Finally the Mizukage – which she immediately didn't like because the title had the same name as her irritating world travelling companion – and an Anbu member walked out to the playing field as boo's poured from the crowd._

_Richochet snickered._

"_No one likes him…" She said in a sing song voice and Rakuin chuckled. _

_He turned to the two opposite them and spoke lowly from the side of his mouth. "You want the Anbu or the Kage?"_

_Richochet gave some thought. "You take the easier one. I want to test myself."_

"_Mizukage. Right." She nodded in understanding, making him smile at that, amused. "It's damn well true and you know it."_

"_True, true… Be careful." _

_A nod came from the girl as the ref spoke up, his voice booming._

"_This will be a two on two match! The rules are - You cannot leave the arena. There will be no physical outside help. You can not use someone from the stands." The blonde male looked at the four and asked. "Is this understood?"_

_We all nodded once. Richochet shoved the churning of her stomach to the back of her mind as she pulled on her gloves and reached for her blades to slick in._

"_Begin!"_

_Richochet immediately call upon my cloud with a quick 'Rai'un no jutsu' and let it cover the top of the arena. First of all, it blocked any other clouds since the thing covered the whole arena top and so it wouldn't have any rain come in and secondly, only she could control it. You control the arena you gain an advantage._

_This was pre-planned before from Rakuin and Richochet._

_The crowd gasped at the sudden darkness making Richochet's lip twitch in amusement. A sudden flurry of movement poked the corner of her eyes and the blade that came over her head sliced some few hairs closely. She swore silently under her breath and started going on the defensive, which wasn't her style at all._

_The Anbu smirked through the mask, she could just feel it._

_Gritting her teeth, the other-worlder picked up her speed only to have the Anbu match it quickly, but not quickly enough that she could seal a tenketsu at the Anbu's hip before going at the man with her blades. Pure lightning of immense proportions raced out when she clawed out, though the Anbu dodged just a second early. _

_Richochet smirked as he realised she could manipulate the energy to swirl as she indulged him in battle again. The buzz came up to the male and she quickly performed the Kage Bunshin. Eight other Richochet's joined her and surrounded the male, seven around and one above though the way the lightning was coming back in was the only free way._

_Each of her sliced through to reach him and he jumped up, not seeing the one up top as lightning slammed into the first Richochet, who was calmly staring at him with some amusement as it slammed into her, ignoring the cries from the crowd. If they thought she was dead they were idiots._

"Rairyū no Tatsumaki!_" The Anbu cried out after doing lightning fast weaves with his hands, much to her surprise as she turned around. He had reappeared behind a Kage Bunshin and she quickly exchanged with a log Kawarimi of her Bunshin, keeping a lookout for something tricky as the tornado ripped through the arena._

_Rakuin smirked, summoning his Naginata went head to head with the Mizukage when he pulled out a similar spear._

_CLASH!_

_CLANK!_

_CLUNK!_

_It seemed both had the same strength and skill and with equal thoughts a good five minutes later, jumped back un-summoned their weapons and went into weaves as the tornado passed them. Mizukage ended with tiger, making Rakuin lift his brows. A fire jutsu from a water shadow? Different, but he supposed it would be a shock for the opponents._

"_Goukakyuu no jutsu!"_

"_Doton; Yomi Numa!" Rakuin created a huge swamp which took an immense amount of chakra but a Kage Bunshin from Richochet recharged his batteries by appearing behind him and giving him some of her own lightning into chakra conversion-ed energy. It disappeared when a lucky hit was struck to the clone when a bit of debris from the tornado smashed into her._

_Luckily enough, the swamp caught the unaware Mizukage, whose hands were trapped and he couldn't move due to the nature of the swamp. A second went by when he frowned, giving himself the chance to think if the Mizukage knew anyway out, but by the look on his face he didn't. He kneeled down at the edge of the swamp and waved happily at the struggling Kage._

"_You won't be getting out of there, my friend." He smiled coolly, eyes glinting malevolently at the pathetic excuse of a Kage. A kunai swept over his head so he ducked quickly, and even though the Kage was trapped in the swamp, he had sent out some good number of blood and bone clones._

_Richochet, however, was having a harder time. The Anbu was definitely more cunning than his ally in the battle and had only managed to slice the top of her arm with one of the kunai the Anbu had sent a flurry of. She batted them away with her claw-blades as if they were minor irritations to be dealt with._

_The Anbu sped at her and started fist fighting, sweeping fist at her as she blocked with palms facing forward. She ducked, both beings going as fast as possible to catch out the other. A leg swept at her and one of her Bunshin's dashed out to block it as she slammed a flat palm to block off the points in his leg as the Bunshin missed a hit and poofed out of there, momentarily blinding him._

"_Kage Bunshin no jutsu." She murmured and quickly substituted herself away to attack him from behind knocking some minor tenketsu before he could reiterate fiercely._

_The Anbu growled and flung some explosive notes attached to new, clean kunai and Richochet dodged easily._

_Rakuin blinked as the last clone exploded from a random flung detonated kunai._

"_Hey, thanks, man!"_

_Richochet smacked one to the left of her after a good couple minutes blocking off important tenketsu and covered three serious tenketsu points to his left upper arm. It flopped to his side, useless as demon energy and some lightning sparked into him, creating a pain of a pins and needles effect that soon disintegrated into numbness._

_He growled at her and she saw a peek of violet eyes slick with ferociousness directed to her._

"_Play with the weasel and die."_

_The lava eyed girl did three hand signs, taking the water from the swamp that wasn't needed. "Mizuma no jutsu." A huge wave of water flushed over the whole arena and up to the walls, soaking some of the nearer members._

_The Anbu smirked at her as they both did hand signs at a quick pace, though he did single hand signs which was most likely how he got into Anbu. Richochet was ahead, idea already forming, but the Anbu was quickly moving his pace up to catch up with her._

'Ah what're you doing?! They're from Kiri!_'_

'_Water conducts electricity.' She replied in her mind and let herself power up with her lightning supply. She peered at the companion male who was jumping over to her as he re-summoned his Naginata. Luckily, the end of the pole and counterweight had been added with a huge wad of rubber so it wouldn't hit him and insulate him from damage._

_Hopefully._

_Demon lightning was on a whole different level._

"_RAI!"_

_Lightning exploded around her form like fireworks of white blue and golden red sunset as she struggled and succeeded in pushing down the unbelievably huge amount of energy that wanted to come out and destroy. As the lightning hit and the Naginata slammed into the ground, Rakuin jumped up to the top of it, balancing on the deadly point perfectly. _

_The lightning mistress smiled in glee as everything zapped and the Anbu and Mizukage screamed._

_Rakuin gave her a baleful look, a good metre away from her. "You're decidedly evil and sadistic. And you just killed the Mizukage."_

_Richochet gave him a dry look._

"_Yeah well…"_

"…_?"_

"…_Shit happens."_

_The Anbu numbly got up much to the two's surprise._

"_You want him?" She asked airily, as if they were talking about the weather._

"_He's all yours."_

_Giving him a grateful smirk, she sped over to the Anbu and stopped silently in front of him, standing on the water. With a determined grin, she ducked down into a specific position low to the ground and gave barely a thought when she spoke the words, '_Hakke Rokujuyon Sho_' to the awaiting audience and could literally feel the Hyuuga's smirking or smiling as she plugged the tenketsu points easily._

_With a deft pair of hands, she shoved a palm into his chest, covering even more than the usual one point and slamming him into the opposite wall, numb and unable to produce chakra._

_Rakuin smiled politely to the stunned ref._

"_I think this is the bit where you say who won."_

"_Match goes to Seishou Richochet from Konohagakure and Aomokuzai Rakuin from the lands."_

_The crowds screamed and Richochet and Rakuin jumped in shock._

"_Let's get out of here." Rakuin suggested helpfully as the crowd started to quickly run into the main arena, little children splashing around the water puddles. Richochet twitched as she noted Naruto having the time of his life pissing Neji off as he soaked the older male via his foot._

"_Yeah, this will just get messy." Putting his hand on her shoulder, the pair disappeared from the arena and reappeared near a lightly lit bridge over a river. Richochet gave him a look. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to seduce me."_

_Rakuin went red in embarrassment. "N-No! I-"_

"_I'm teasing."_

_He relaxed visibly._

"_What? I'm not good enough to seduce?"_

"_No-No! I just-"_

_Richochet snickered, enjoying his stuttering. "I'm teasing again. You're too easy."_

"_You are cruel indeed." The man sighed._

_Richochet smirked lightly, nodding in agreement. "I've been told."_

"_No surprise." He murmured. The attractive male looked up, eyes glimmering the reflection of the stars. "The stars are beautiful tonight."_

_She hummed in agreement. "You know." She said after a pause. "You're not too bad."_

"_Is that a hand spreading its friendship?" He teased back._

_Richochet scoffed but said nothing. _

"_I'll be your friend too."_

"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"I need to work on my bloodlust." She mumbled to herself after the memory of the fight lapsed through her head pleasantly. "And that was way too short a battle for Kage level." 

'_Ne, wasn't it found out a day or two after he died that he got there by paying his way there from the council? That's why it was easy, 'ttebayo!_'

'_True. But still. Everyone was looking forward to a Kage match and they got jounin level._' Richochet replied bitterly. '_And so was I. Still it did tell me how good my demon half has made me. This'll happen to you ramen-king, and not only that, you'll be stronger than me seeing as you have a third extra tails._'

'_I'm gonna rule as Hokage, oh yeah 'ttebayo!_'

Richochet turned to the others with a small smirk and slightly soft eyes. "Let's go then."

Hanabi smiled as she peered at them from the door that she was behind. This meant a little free time for her to visit a certain someone.

Deidara grinned happily and put hands to hips bending over to her and put a finger on her nose. "Patience, my dear, _patience, un_! Tut, tut, un!"

Richochet twitched, annoyance creeping over her. "Yeah, whatever." She leant her weight on her right hip, arm crossed over her chest, giving him an impatient look. "So when? And why so suddenly?"

"We go very soon indeed, un!" Deidara winked at her and ignored the irate glare from the younger male, though he swallowed deeply as a direct result from the protectiveness Neji gave.

Hinata sweatdropped at the scene. Neji glared at Deidara. Deidara looked somewhat squeamish at Richochet and Richochet was scowling at the sky, wishing it would go darker quicker.

'_The things I live with._' She smiled to herself lightly. Looking up she saw Deidara give her a look that just screamed 'help me!'. Blinking she spoke up the first thing that came into her mind. "I-I'll get the c-cooking done. W-Would you h-help me, Deidara?"

"Yes, un!" He said in relief, obviously glad at the reprieve.

Hinata giggled lightly. "Okay…"

"Oh yeah, Richochet!"

The girl blinked at him slowly, waiting. "…Yeah…?"

He bent over and whispered in her ear. "Buy Neji something special, un!"

"Why?" She asked loudly and Deidara hushed her, putting a finger to his mouth. "Huh?"

"Just do it and give it to him later on, un."

Richochet, clearly not understanding why she had to randomly buy her torturer, er tutor something, just shrugged in agreement. "Eh, sure… I suppose I'll do that this once."

The blonde beamed and turned to the purple haired girl, completely ignoring the other two. "Let's make two bags full, un!" He put an arm around Hinata's shoulder, guiding her into the home and away from the other two. He murmured into her ear very lightly, "I also have a job for you Hinata-chan."

She looked up as he let her lead, taking his arm away and smiling at her heavy blush. "W-W-What w-would t-that b-be, Deidara?"

"Just a little push together thing, un."

Hinata frowned and looked up at the delicious looking male, who peered down at her with a bright sky coloured eye warmly. "O-Oh? I-I don't quite u-understand…" She left off, hoping he'd fill the blank.

And he did.

"Remember what day it is?" He promptly asked giving her hints, smiling down at her and stroking her hair a few time, putting it back in place from the wind who'd had its' fun. "Uuun?"

Hinata frowned before her face lit up in realisation. "How on Earth could I forget?" She didn't even nervously stutter she was so amazed at her forgetfulness. "Oh dear…"

Deidara laughed loudly.

"Yup, yup, un! It's that time again, un! I love this day, un!"

Richochet stared after them.

"Come, we'll get back to training." Neji said lightly from next to her, closer than she had figured he was. Looking up to him, she gave a small nod and a small half smirk. His stomach rolled in a delighted way and he turned around to pace several steps away to hide his confused face.

Richochet dropped down into her position that was the exact same as Neji's and lost the amusement, knuckling down into determined mode as another would have dubbed it.

Pacing each other, they would have charged if not for the shout that interrupted them and making them trip.

FLASH!

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Neji had enough of blondes for one day.

…Week.

…Month.

…Year.

Flippin' _lifetime_!

"NARUTO! GIVE ME THAT CAMERA!" Neji screamed at the poor boy, face muddy with grass sticking out the side of it.

The blonde burst out laughing at his face.

FLASH!

Matching mask on her face Richochet pointed at him angrily. "YOU'RE FREAKING DEAD!!" Richochet agreed vehemently, violence uppermost in her mind. "…AFTER I WASH MY FACE!" She stomped back in quickly, the male Hyuuga following as a small female Hyuuga dashed out secretly.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"So you did appear, eh, Mizukage-sama?" Hanabi teased lightly as she entered a little cafe. She sat opposite the man in a formal kimono of royal blue with white and silver shooting star designs feathered all over. 

The café was a quaint little place that was never really busy, but yet it still stood, despite not being the best around. The aura it held was one of absolute peace and tranquillity, making it one of her favourite places to lounge around. The walls were a soft warm red and the floor were mahogany boards creating a homely effect.

"Of course, my princess."

She giggled and sipped some of the hot camomile tea in front of her and smiled at the warm effect that spread through her body, sufficiently heating her up from the cooling day.

Rakuin smiled, a secretive glint in his eye.

"It is, after all, Valentines Day."

Hanabi smiled contentedly.

Her first Valentine Date.

A scream was heard over Konoha.

Well, blood curdling screech was more like it but... Whatever.

Hanabi blinked as Rakuin stood up in alarm. She laughed and he looked down at the girl in worried confusion. "Oh, that's just Naruto-baka." Hanabi waved a hand. "He pissed off Richochet and Neji earlier. They must've just caught him."

Totally understanding, Rakuin sat back down and smiled at her once more. "No need to worry then." He grinned, making Hanabi melt into a happy puddle of Hanabi goo. "Right?"

"Uh-huh…" She dreamily replied.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet and Neji stared at the place everyone was supposed to meet them. 

The river.

A bridge.

A picnic blanket.

A picnic basket.

Candles, scented.

A card.

Richochet watched Neji lean down and read the card.

'_We decided you two should get it together already! It's so obvious to those who really know you guys! Honestly, Richochet, even you aren't that stupidly unaware! Maybe Valentines Day will help? – Your two blonde buddies!_'

Neji scrunched it in his fist and let it float down the river as he slammed it into there powerfully.

"I wondered why I received a whole ton of chocolate and cookies." He mumbled to himself absently, watching the river swallow up the note and letting it dunk under the water with no mercy. "Hmph."

"…"

There was a silence.

A cricket chirped loudly.

A frog croaked.

Richochet's stomach growled.

Neji scoffed and sat down, opening the rectangular beige basket with a smirk on his face as she crossed her arms over her chest and said bluntly to him. "There better be something good in there."

"It's Hinata's cooking, it's always good." He replied matter-of-factly.

"She's a good cook." Richochet offered weakly. "Naruto only let her cook the food. Me and Deidara were banned from it even though we hadn't cooked."

"You'd probably burn the forest down." He smirked at her and she gave him a put off look, waving him away with a dismissing hand. He rolled his eyes, placing some plated out and putting some food on each of their plates. It mostly consisted of Bok Choi and peking duck and some others she couldn't name but knew they tasted delicious.

It was Hinata's cooking. It had to be absolutely mind-blowing. That's just how her cooking turned out, even if she tried sabotaging her own work on purpose.

Moving over Richochet took the plate silently with a small smirk to him and nodded. She sat down with crossed legs and decided on eating with her fingers, not bothering with the chopsticks.

"What's this here?" She poked a piece of meat.

"That's lamb."

"Oh." She gave it an odd look. "Why's it so… ah… crumbling?"

"…?" Neji frowned and poked his own watching the little pieces of meat scatter slightly. "…Hm. Try it."

"You try it."

"You."

"Ladies first."

"…Girly man, go first."

He picked up his chopsticks and took some and eyed her warily.

Richochet raised a brow. "Go on then-GGUURP!"

She swallowed the lamb and frowned feeling her stomach gurgle unhappily. "Neeejiii…"

"…Hm?" Well HE sounded victorious.

Prat.

Her stomach rolled and she felt the gag reflex kick in and burning begin in her gullet. "I don't think I like lamb." Her stomach seemed to cave in as her face screwed up in disgust.

Neji blinked. '_I've seen that look before form a while ago in Tsunade's..._' His eyes widened as he dropped the plate of nearly eaten food, picked her from behind around the armpits and lugged her over to the river as she spewed her food back up into the once clean river. He frowned in consternation as he held her up with the left hand around the base of her choker furred neck and collarbone, and pulled her hair back with the other.

"I really don't think I like lamb."

He gave a half smile to her. "No lamb for you again."

She grinned back woozily. "Is this the part where I say Happy Valentines Day, Neji?"

He bopped her on the head lightly.

Richochet sighed and reached up to rub her head tenderly. "So mean. Here." She put a hand into her parka jacket and took out a simple piece of paper and handed it to him.

Neji took it and read it.

"I Owe You?"

Richochet shrugged. "Deidara told me to get you something. I will when I find something good you'd appreciate."

Neji stared at her before laughing, making Richochet stare at him with a small smile on her face.

_'Definitely a good choice, Rokubi.'_

The boy leaned over and gave her a kiss on the nose and massaged the weasel spot.

"It'll do." His eyes softened as he turned to her, enjoying watching her, even if she did everything with an arrogant air. It just made him want to make her submit, which of course she didn't. It wasn't in her nature to be submissive. He however, knew someone had to be around to keep her from being to out of control and he was the perfect guy to do it. "Yes, it will."

"What'll do?"

"Nothing much you'd think about."

Richochet raised a brow and leaned into his hand without a thought.

He continued with a small smile, ignoring the flash for once.

Richochet smiled and dropped onto his lap.

"You're pretty good to me." She noted sleepily and drifted off.

He smirked. "Just remember... Hyuuga marry at the right age."

* * *

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* * *

Dun Dun DUUUNN!

Not the best (definitely) and not the worst (maybe, actually... I didn't like this one for a Valentine Special-ish) Did people keep with the timeline? Yay? Nay? Ah well, this is a reminder.

Anywho, I apologize immensely for everything on this story. Bad chappie, but the wind has left my sails for now yet hopefully there'll be a change in the weather soon.

Thanks for reading.

Next out soon for sure.

Ten Words-

_Hunter-nin. Suna. Courier. Experi-interests... Shampoo and conditioners! BALANCE._

Ja ne!

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**R.**

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	24. Chapter XXIV

**See? Extra Soon! A Friday special just for you to read. I love reading on Friday - it means I can spend all night reading and writing and I get to go to sleep at 4 am. Ah, bliss. (Laughs) **

**Does anyone actually read this bit about me? I like reading these things, and people's blogs or whatever they call 'em these days. Whoa, I sound old, and I'm only 17! But don't judge on the years people! I watch anime, get it? Japaaaaaneeeeeese Cartooooons. Absolutely Adore 'em. Apart from Mecha style ones. Bleh. Watched 'em since I was young beginning with DBZ. Of course, I didn't realise it was anime at the time, I was only four or something.**

_Love and glompages to..._

_Moogle In Paradaisu - Hibiki-chan - NaraYingyi - Joster13 - Neko of Light - Sanya12 - Zero Asakura - Songo714 - Exhale Vanilla Lace._

_You people have awesomeness names. It's 16:15 in England on the 5th October. What is it over in your country? Do tell! Onwards and down!_

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**Chapter Twenty Four**

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'_Okay Richochet, breathe in and breathe out, keep it up._' She told herself, a day later when those closest to her were on missions. Neji was off on a mission with Naruto, Lee and Tenten and wouldn't be back for a few days more, and Hinata was studying inside with her father and Hanabi, most likely sparring, staying in the courtyard at all costs with three guards from the branch with her at all times.

No one could say papa Hiashi wasn't protective of his daughters.

And back to her problem.

Who else did she know?

Well, there was Shikamaru to bother or get into a friendly match with that damn game he was addicted to.

Truthfully, she didn't wanna play since she nearly always lost, but she had some damn good counter attacks which had thrown him off.

Even if it was only the one time.

The only time she had won.

And never again.

The genius didn't like girls beating him, so he made sure to win against her on anything like these games of strategy.

So, digressing to the point, she was on her own.

And she was going back to her thinking of new techniques with her Kazangan.

So far, she hadn't got any further than where she began on that training session months ago. She knew she could unblock chakra points when blocked and had been working on that lately with the Hyuuga teens she was close with but she really wanted to work on her Seishou blood and see what the hell her bloodline limit could do.

Okay, think.

It could help her inject chakra by feel if she locked onto a person, and only when she locked onto a person. She couldn't do so without locking onto a person or the energy would go to waste, and she really didn't wanna do that. Even if she had a second storage of lightning in her and in that damn stalker cloud.

She could also feel energy. It was… very similar to a canine with a scent. When it's first used – or first there if we continue to use this little example of canines – it will be most prominent. When it's been a few hours it will decrease in intensity of feel. Or, for the example, smell.

She'd be perfect for Hunter-Nin. Her talents could be used and it'd promote her quickly, to a place of power. And power was what she craved to get for her safety and comfort. With her tracking capabilities, she'd probably be around the Inuzuka, Aburame and Hyuuga families in Anbu headquarters.

And yes, she'd _make_ sure she was in a position of power.

Richochet didn't know if it were uncontrolled instincts from her demonic half, but she felt it her right to be in power. She was ambitious as hell lately.

But back to the point – and she blamed Naruto for her sidetracking simply because she could – Richochet was wondering how the hell she could push her Kazangan into overdrive.

There was the obvious part of trying to mature her Kazangan by seeing how long she could detect the 'scents' of energy people left behind when using chakra and how small a 'scent' she could find. But she was a 'hands on' person, and more used to beating the shit out of people. So she'd rather work on how to stuff chakra into others and see what she could do.

All she needed was a person to try it on.

Richochet frowned.

"Who the hell am I supposed to try it on?"

She lay on her back, taking in the calming blue sky of noon in late February, as she thought on who would be stupid… er, _willing_ enough to do her experi- _interests_ on.

She blinked as a name flitted over her mind.

A sudden sadistic grin ran on her features.

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"Hell no, un. You'll kill me, un." 

Deidara outright refused.

Much to Richochet's consternation.

"Oh come _on_!" Richochet tried persuading, but persuasion just wasn't a forte of hers. She'd leave that up to people like Naruto with that damn cute look that could win others over to his side. "I'll buy you ramen!"

"I'm not Naruto, un!" Deidara pouted at her from his sofa, doing some paperwork and reports that couldn't be given vocally and needed some diagrams to help him explain himself and the mission properly. "And anyway, food for experimenting on me, un? I'm, once again, not Naruto you scary weasel demoness, un! Like _that's_ a fair deal, un!"

Her eyebrow twitched and she crossed her arms in irritation.

"Well, what would appeal to you?"

Deidara didn't even blink as he replied, looking at his work.

"I want three sets of shampoo and conditioner and body lotion from Sunagakure no Sato that has a special ingredient in it from this special shop and they're very expensive, un. I want berry surprise -and not black current purple but cherry red - and lemon and lime zing and Mango soufflé treating boost for extra shine."

Her mouth dropped open.

"You're fucking kidding me…" Richochet said as she stared at him in disbelief. He didn't even sound hyper, just stating facts. "Three sets of fruity bathroom essentials and you'll help me with my bloodline limit at any time?"

Deidara perked up with a hopeful but surprised and happy grin. "You'll get them, un?"

"…Wait… Do they exist?"

"Of course, un! I wouldn't lie about such important things, un! Hey, you can even buy yourself a set, un! I think you'd go great with cherry and strawberry, un." He said in all seriousness.

"Uh…? Sure?"

Richochet was a little out of depth in _this_ conversation.

The blonde gasped at her in fear. "Y-You do _know_ what I'm talking about right? How it'd compliment your scent of that other fruit?"

"…"

"…?!"

"…I'm leaving to buy your goodies."

Deidara stood up and put his hands to his hips. He was with a dark blue silk shirt that was half way undone and slightly falling off his shoulder, baring a particularly nice muscular torso, which appealed to her, and there were some black jeans on his lean hips as he went barefooted. She couldn't help but stare for a second before blinking at him and his sly grin.

"Like something you see, un?" He leaned close to her, kind blue eye shining mischievously.

"Unfortunately, yes, I do." Richochet leaned back as she said honestly. "I didn't realise how attractive you are until just now when you did that pose. You're a very fine specimen of manhood. However, I'm not looking for anyone, so I'll just have fun watching your masculine beauty." She added on in efforts of charming him to help her more.

Deidara grinned as his ego inflated.

"For that, I'll give you some money to pay for your own set, un."

He was a pleased Deidara indeed.

The blonde walked out of the room and stopped before he could fully exit and held the sides of the door frame. "By the way, un?"

Richochet cocked her head as he turned to her.

"I find you attractive too, un." He winked at her "When we get back, I'll give you a few cleaning up tips to help you even more with getting the guy you want, un."

Deidara strutted on out to go to get some money.

Richochet looked around the lightly coloured, lightly scented room in slight uncertainty before stating to herself.

"I think I dug myself a veeery deep hole in this one, un."

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Tsunade blinked at her, sceptical about what she was hearing. 

"Shampoo and conditioner…?"

"Yeah, so can I get some leaving papers? I'll be back real soon." Richochet added on, hefting the bag on her back up some more as if she expected to go without complaint. "I'll just go in, buy some cleansing products and get on out of there again. Simple."

"I will. If you get some of that Dango with that. It's the Nori and Kinako mix." Tsunade grinned as she paled and groaned. "Here's some money, of course. It's a C-Rank mission for you seeing as you cross borders to allies."

Richochet nodded with a groan. '_I should've stayed in bed and taken a day off or something._' She thought to herself, feeling stress build up in her fangs and fingernails and tasted the acidic venom in her mouth that had a lemon tinge. She took in a breath of air to calm herself. '_Honestly, being part demon is hard. Why Rokubi thought it was a good thing is beyond me._'

The younger female took out the list she had and added the specialized Dango to it. "Where is it? The bathroom shit Deidara wants me to get is on the main street on the right of the shopping area… Where's your food?"

"Don't swear in my office, girl. Anyway, here, and they're on the main street of the shopping area also, but to the left and in the northern part." She waited patiently until Richochet had written it down and put it in her pocket to hand her the offered money. "By the way, the bag you came with when you first got here? You can have it back after this."

"Bag…?" She frowned in confusion before realisation came to her. "Oh, yeah. Cheers."

Tsunade signed some documents making Richochet wait impatiently much to her Hokage's pleasure.

'_I'd call her a sadist but that's just hypocritical._'

"Done. Come back quickly. There have been warnings of bandits."

She smirked. "Don't worry 'bout me, Hokage, I'm fine."

'_A perfect time to get some more money and goods._'

"Do you have a scroll that you can seal items into them? A few if you please?"

Tsunade wondered why three but then shrugged it off. The girl was going to Sunagakure for the first time; of course she'd want something to buy also. Ducking into her desk drawers, she pulled out three small sized scrolls and tossed them one by one to her.

Richochet caught them deftly, nodded and walked out of the room, completely ignoring Shizune who walked in, bustling by her rudely. She barely looked and nodded at Shikamaru at the door – since he guarded it for his chuunin duties – but was stopped by him.

"What? I gotta go. And you're irritating me here."

"If you see a girl with four ponytails in her blonde head and a huge fan on her back, give her this." Shikamaru held out a simple light purple letter awkwardly. "Please?"

"You owe me then."

He smirked. "Actually, I'd say we're equal."

Richochet scowled at him, snatched the letter, and stuffed it roughly into a back pocket in her shorts. She was wearing the slinky clothing she was in on her Peace Treaty Mission with Naruto and Hinata, so she had enough space. However, the spiked swords she had stolen from that Seven Swordsman guy – since he wasn't important to her, she didn't bother to remember his name, only that he'd done something useful to her – was on her back in an 'X' formation held by two hoops of metal that was held by a small pair of snap in buttons.

"Later deer-boy."

She walked off with a hand up in farewell.

Shikamaru grimaced. "…Troublesome woman."

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Richochet sighed as she looked at the ten bandits in front of her. They had a lot of experience, not so much money and it irritated her that she wasted time with these bozos. 

"So, missy?" The slimy haired male tried to say with intimidation in his voice. To her finely tuned sense, which she had to actively keep chakra in her ears and nose to dim the effects down, it sounded like a dying frog, but it was better to let him keep his dignity.

She'd rip it away with unrestrained sadistic joy later.

"What the hell do you want?" Richochet said, already knowing the plan.

Try to rape her, kill her, and steal her shit and leave her decomposing body as a warning to others.

The.

End.

But these people just didn't know who they were messing with here.

A pissed off, lightning wielding ex-Jinchuuriki half weasel demon... ess.

"Everything of yours. With one as innocent as you…" She held back a snort of disdain at that remark. What an idiot. Any warrior could look into another's eyes and know they'd killed before. "I bet you haven't even had a first kiss, hmm?" He guffawed loudly with the rest of the idiots, making her twitch.

She made three very slow hand movements and ended in the tiger seal. "Rai'un no jutsu." She yawned out and lightning had its fun. Bolts screamed down fiercely from her stalker cloud – which she was with great frustration, admittedly, growing fond of – and scorched them to the brink of death.

Yells of agony and pain echoed the abandoned area as she watched on with a smirk on her face. '_Fucking fools… Thinking they could dare to be better than me…_'

She let go of the tiger seal and the electric storm stopped. Eight were dead while the other two were barely breathing. She had specifically targeted the most weak-willed looking one at the back and the leader to stay alive. The leader she would kill to prove a point to the brown haired male that was spearing her with eyes of fear and panic as his body jolted each moment that she was to be feared and not taken lightly.

"Where is your hideout, hmm?" Richochet asked nonchalantly, as if she didn't just kill some worthless vermin. She stared down her weak-willed victim as he shook beneath her stare. "Obviously you keep your goods there."

He hesitated before a small gleam came to his eyes before it disappeared.

"WELL?!" Richochet snarled making his yelp before tumbling away from her. "Tell me or I _will_ draw your death out, worm." She took out her gloves and tugged them on slowly, building up the fear in him. Her hand clenched as she reached behind her to take out her sharpened blades.

The newly named 'worm' shuddered. "I-I-It's t-to… to y-your l-l-left."

The leader, who was barely hanging on to his life, sputtered out blood from his mouth. "H-How could you, G-Gin?! Y-You Blood Brother traitor…!"

"Shut up." Richochet struck her blades into his larynx painfully, slowly taking them out. He gurgled blood from his open wound and collapsed into a dead heap next to her feet.

Looking up to Gin, he had paled and urinated himself violently, much to her disgust. She sneered. He must be new to killing. "Know that I let you live. Spread the word to your bandit '_friends_' that Lord Toko is not a happy weasel and does not appreciate bandit attacks in Lord Toko's new territory." Turning away from that excuse of a human as she couldn't believe she shared humanity with him, she leapt away as he ran with clumsy feet to god knows where.

She wondered if that was the right thing to do.

The 'hide out' was simply a rotted cabin hidden very well. It was simply painted grey to blend in with the cliff and had vines growing down and over it, to make it seem old and unusable.

Any normal person or even a ninja would think it unusable.

Apparently, bandits were just that thick.

Leaning against a tree in plain sight if they were to look out of the window, she watched them. There were two playing a game of cards, but by the shout it was 'Bullshit', and the third was drinking some alcohol straight from the bottle laughing uproariously at his friends.

Her eyes sensed only three in the wooden place and their chakra was larger than those bandits. Granted, they were probably Genin drop outs that couldn't hack it for Chuunin. Easy enough to take care of. Boring really. Even that Konohamaru kid had more than them. Giving it thought, she decided that it was best to draw them out. She flipped out a few kunai, must to her distaste. She never did like long range weapons but she'd have to deal.

The plan was simple; draw them out by throwing a kunai into the window and hopefully killing one – though doubtful with her abysmal long range aim – and then finishing them all off with lightning.

'_I wonder if I can use Rai'un no jutsu without hand seals? Like Gaara._' Richochet smirked. '_Let's try it out._'

Richochet threw the kunai with care in her aim and it smashed through the window with deadly effectiveness, pinning a blonde haired man's shoulder to the cabin wall as he gave a shriek of pain.

The other two yelled and came out as she flung three more kunai into the trapped man. He swiftly died as a lucky hit got his skull, letting blood and brains leak out slowly and fall loose down his head, while the other missed, smashing into a small vase.

"Rai'un no jutsu." She smirked as she pictured them dying in her mind, putting some chakra into the thought and the cloud happily reacted to her tenacity in completing her goal. They flopped to the ground, bodies blackened beyond recognition. She felt her stomach gurgle uneasily at the stench of rotting human corpses and burnt flesh but pushed it aside.

'_Perfect. Bandits really are easy. I'm such a genius for knowing to take them out._' She brushed her ego happily. '_I just have to make sure not to get turned into road kill by sheer numbers of bandits or take on bandits who've hired higher classed Nin._'

She went into the cabin with confidence, ignoring the flies that already swarmed. She'd have to hurry to avoid random animals that could eat her or enemy ninja.

It was kinda odd how she thought random animals were worse than enemy ninja…

Huh.

She looked around the left. There was a simple rug next to a fire… some crappy paintings that looked like someone who drew them were shit at drawing… boring. She looked to the right and her jaw dropped in shock.

Gold.

Silver.

Gems.

Scrolls.

Silks.

Sake.

Furs.

Weapons.

Money.

Money.

Money.

"Holy shit… these guys were rich… wait… KAI!" She put her hands together in the dispelling mode, adding in a ton of chakra just in case some fucker was screwing with her senses. Nothing went. Her lips twisted up into a triumphant smirk as her eyes lit up in pleasure. "Beautiful. I'm rich." She stared at it for a couple seconds before whipping her hand out in five seals and then nipped her thumb on a shuriken and smashed her hand to a wall. "Kuchiyose no jutsu."

A huge 'X' black with frayed purple edged appeared and the bulbs of lights signifying all the eyes of the weasels lit up.

"See all of that? I want it in our treasure trove. You can keep all the furs and the gold. I know it'll make good habitats and courting gifts for you creatures." Richochet said, knowing she'd have to give something up for them. "Make sure to put them separately like the rest of the treasure we have taken for our own. Oh, and if you see any amethyst stones and the garnets give them to the 'Boss' alright?"

She had learnt that, during the time she first met Gaara, Boss and the weasels were far more work than any normal summoning was, but they were also greater help. Rokubi taught her to appreciate the weasels, but didn't really say anything about respect for them, just for them to respect you so they know who's the real Boss out of you and them.

He told her there were two ways, love and fear.

For her deceased sister, she went for love.

The weasels bowed and Richochet sat on a chair, nodding back once. She sniffed the bottle and found that they hadn't been drinking alcohol. "Apple juice? Ha! Pathetic losers… Can't even afford… Ugh. What a bunch of idiots…" She looked at the work being done and noted Kamatari jump out of the 'X' and scuttled over to her, jumping up on the table and giving a short bow. "Kamatari."

Kamatari rose at her admission with his name. '_M_y Lady, the Boss is happy with you in keeping your end of the bargain.'

"He damn well better be happy." Richochet gave him a stern look. Then she smirked. "I'm guessing Rokubi didn't?" The summoning weasel shook its head in the negative. "We are demons. It's no surprise to me he didn't. I just happen to like you guys. Don't displease me and we're fine. Weasels? Yeah, you guys…"

The stopped and looked up at her, pausing in their work in curiosity.

"What do you think of me as a leader? Good or bad?"

They looked at each other before all nodding and giving thumbs up after putting their loads down. "We like you!"

Having been in the position of slave before, she knew it was important for them to be somewhat happy in their little lives. If they didn't then it wouldn't be good for her future if she couldn't even get animals to like her let alone her own race.

Half of it, any way.

She smirked again. "Good. Back to work, ya critters!"

They chirped in accordance.

"Don't forget to go to the dead men back on the road to the south west."

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Suna was hot. 

And that was the bottom line.

Okay, so she knew it was a damn desert, but shit, she'd never been to a freaking beach before let alone a desert!

At least she had the damn shampoo and conditioner and lotion sets (four of them) locked away in a sealing scroll… now for that stupid dango treat.

"Can't believe I'm a fucking courier for some dango loving Hokage. And is it one you get from Konohagakure?" Richochet muttered under her breath and she peered around the for the damn food shop, list in hand. "OHHH no. It has to be Sunagakure stamped of approval." She sneered and bumped into someone accidentally.

Or rather, they bumped into her.

"WATCH IT!" She roared at the poor guy… er, girl… with four explosions of hair in different ways and a huge arse fan on her back. '_What I wouldn't kill for one of those… Stupid weather making me pissy…_'

"Sorry I-"

"What - the fuck - ever."

Her eyes narrowed. "What the hell, bitch? You wanna make something of it?"

"Screw you, _she-man_. I'll screw you up big time. Eh, wait… fan… four ponytails. You're the chick that lazy bastard wanted me to… Ah, shit." She put a hand up in the 'wait a minute' gesture. She took out a letter and stiffed it into the crazy Suna-chick's hand. "Here. From Shikamaru. Enjoy."

She walked off, much to the dumbfounded blonde's confusion.

"Oh, and we'll make something of it later for calling me a bitch. Only those I guess I kinda like in Konohagakure can." Richochet put a hand up in goodbye and strolled off for the dango. "Later whore!"

"Fuck you, bitch!"

Richochet snickered, a smirk on her face as she walked.

Sunagakure chicks rocked.

"Dango… dango… where art thou dango?"

"Here I am!"

"What the fuck?" She turned and looked into a shop with some… "Well I'll be damned. It's the shop. There's a fucking jutsu on the shop that yells out what you want. Sunagakure shops rock too. This place is cool. Why the heck didn't I end up here instead?"

Richochet strolled on in and ordered some dango to go. She looked around and noticed how deathly quiet it was. Her eyes lit upon a red head staring right back at her with light aquamarine eyes narrowed in interest, head cocked a little. There was even a dango stick dangling from his mouth.

(A/N: Some one _please_ draw that for me!)

How cute.

"Konoha-nin-san? That'll be…" She shoved some money in his face rudely much to his bald annoyance. "Uh, thanks… here's your change." Taking it, she walked on over to that dude who she forgot his name was but knew him from looks. Sitting down, she put the dango into a separate scroll and stared back at him.

He looked at her with piercing eyes.

"Something's changed."

Richochet liked his bluntness, ignoring the shocked stares from the other customers. "It'll happen when you hit fifteen. Or so I was told by good ol' departed Rai'. You'll be half. Like moi."

Gaara let his eyes widen a fraction before his mouth pulled down at the edges. "Hmph."

"Come visit Naruto, ne? He's thinking of you." She stood up and stared down at him. "Stop listening to that bastard and listen to yourself, got it? I don't like weak willed people. Oh, and not only does Naruto want to see you, I need some more friends too. So I'll need you to be a friend and drop over some time. We'll spar or some shite like that. So I demand you come over, and soon. By the way?"

Gaara raised an eyebrow in interest, staring at her in an odd light. Well he would have if it were there.

"Naruto wants to be a damn Hokage. It'd be great if someone reached that rank before him, right? It'll be a good aim. Well, for you at least, Tanuki-Tanuki-Tanuki-chaaan." She drawled out with a snicker to finish. Giving him a small wink, much to his surprise, she walked out, ignoring the sand that threatened to decapitate her.

Richochet snorted.

As if.

She'd just demonically electrocute everything demonically sandy to demonic glass.

It was simple enough.

Hopefully.

Richochet yawned and looked around. Annoying children laughing and squealing like pigs… Mothers and fathers trying to control them… Stall owners crying out their goods in large voices…

"This place is waaay too noisy." She gritted through her teeth, demonic hearing overpowering her. The girl quickly moved off to an abandoned alley way, most likely a druggie hang out at night. With a simple hand sign, she called out. "_Rai Shunkan Ido!_" And zapped out with a flourish.

And blacked out.

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"…_ady… Chet! Lady Richo…! Lady Richochet!_" Her eyes opened blearily to the small chime like voice and she groaned, feeling out her area with the Kazangan eyes. They gathered white swirls in them as she felt around her, feeling the imprints of animal chakra. 

Summoning animal chakra?

What the hell?

Exactly where was she?

Her eyes set upon Kamatari, who seemed to be the mascot or spokesperson for her weasels. The feeling of fur surrounded her warmly, tickling her sensitized skin gently with silky brushes. The next feeling was the smooth vibration of purring that calmed her down gently. And finally the smell of weasel dragged over to her, encasing her in its' scented captivity.

She looked up into black coloured eyes. At least she thought they were.

Who knows?

She was colour blind, damnit.

The Boss, Kama-Itachi, grinned down at her with sharp teeth, trying to look friendly, but failing miserably. "It's'a pleasure ta welcome ya ta our lair, Milady."

"Yo, Boss-weasel. How ya doing?" She said genially, but somewhat sarcastically, trying to get up.

Boss simply laid his over paw over her. "Don't bother tryin ta get up, Milady. Ya need some rest. An' I 'ave ta do Rokubi's biddin' don't I? Tch." He snorted, making her raise a brow.

"Exactly what does he want you to do with me?" Richochet replied, getting comfy.

Boss seemed happy with her compliance. "Ya see… I need ta give ya a boost since you've been doin' a shit job of bein' demoness, ne? Ya actin' like a human a bit too much even if ya are half way there these days."

"Yes, remind me why don't you…" She mumbled harshly under her breath. "As if the demon screaming its wants of blood, fighting, treasure taking, territory needing and sex wasn't enough for me…"

Boss laughed, it sounding more like a roar rather than a laugh to her ears. "Those're instincts, Milady! An' ones ya should listen ta jus' ta calm ya beast down."

"Uh… huh…" Richochet answered, looking around the cave they were in. "Isn't this my stash cave?"

"Ya, it is. That's what I'm here for." Boss puffed up in his egotism for a second. "I need ta get all tha scrolls info on weasels, all tha jutsu they hold and all a' tha connections of underground know-who into that mind of yours as well as whateva tha 'ell else is in these damn things."

"Eh, cool. Now hurry up. I have Dango to go."

Boss gave her something of a stern look as to which she gave him a bored look in reply. "Ya gonna have ta practise. This jus' gives all'a'tha info ta that little sized brain of yours. It'll take vaguely somethin' like a year ta finally learn everythin' on an extremely basic level and then build up which could take like ten ta twenty years'a ya life. Ya hafta know this crap before ya 'ave kids, see? So you know what ta do and 'ow ta look after 'em."

"I'll just Kage Bunshin it for training. Now, if you please." It was definitely a command and not a question.

"HA!" The weasel lifted a huge paw with long claws the same size as her and twice as thick as her on that thing and held it above her. "Maybe yer not going ta be a bad leader and Balancer of tha World with cha friend, tha fox one, and tha' other one too. Tha weasel tribe will always follow ya!"

A huge ball of… believe it or not _words_ and _picture_ and colours – if the different shades of blacks, whites and greys where anything to go by – emerged above her head between the dark grey pads of his paw. It expanded and started to surround her head to epic proportions. Boss even had to stand up on his behind legs to contain the massive loads of pure _information_ that thing carried. Then she saw it with her eyes, a colossal mix of energy and chakra made her eyes widen and body instinctively step back in shock.

It was huge, more than what she had in this form even. At least a hundred, no three hundred times the amount of power she had. Her body quaked. It quaked in fear, adrenaline, apprehension and pure undeterred excitement as she stared at it. Her eyes dilated and her thought swam back to when she first arrived. The same feelings over came her, only twice as powerful as she was able to witness it with an open conscious. The ball span at an increasing spinning velocity that would make any Hakkesho Kaiten user green with envy as the words swirled with letters and shapes and unadulterated chakra that gleamed purple.

Boss gritted his fangs. "You see this power?"

"…How could I ever ignore it?" She said breathlessly, mesmerized.

"**You remember you wanted to talk to the Higher Beings?**"

Rokubi looked down at her before standing over her, now helping the Boss to hold it up.

Richochet gulped, eyes still as wide as when she first laid view on the small ball that had blown into great extent, the scope of it ripping apart the cave to show the great plain of grey she stood in. Her hands immediately went up defensively in front of her face as spikes of electric energy zapped every which way; forgetting the fact lightning couldn't harm her.

"You mean…" She trailed off. "Have they come to see me?"

"**No, little pet.**" Rokubi chuckled with self-satisfaction at seeing her like this. So awed and blown away instead of taking everything in as she normally would. "They've not come to see you."

"Then… what?"

Rokubi smirked down at her, giving her some form of curious comfort.

"**They've agreed. If you accept this power then you will do their bidding. Don't think it's all that it's cracked up to be. You will live an almost immortal life of longevity. It will take at least ten years for you to fully be able to wield all **_**this**_** with no shortcuts with only a fragile hold of control over it. You won't train for it, it'll happen but to train will speed the process up. Also, you won't be able to reach this power until the other two accept. And they have years to accept.**"

"Why doesn't Naruto get all this first? He was here first."

"You're tha one with tha idea." Boss said, shaking as he held the ball up on his back for better leverage. He was, after all, a four legged beast that didn't walk around on to feet. He preferred to slink around on all fours. "You're tha one wit' ta ambition. They will get the same amount though, when they accept. _You's_ jus' get info on top of it."

"**Do what you will. You have a choice. Use what you were given by the higher beings who created your soul.**"

Richochet looked down at her hands.

Doubts sprang to mind instantly. She had no control to even stop them. '_Can I do this? Is it really alright for someone like me to do this? Isn't there better choices? What have I done to deserve this? Is it a curse or a blessing? Do they want me to give up everything I have just for them? Am I able to place jurisdiction over people you don't know? Should I really do this?_'

'WHY WOULD YOU DOUBT YOURSELF?' Something screamed at her sending chills down her spine. 'YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED POWER AND HERE IT IS. YET YOU COWER. WHY?'

Richochet frowned as she stared harder at her hands. '_I'm no coward._'

'IF YOU DOUBT AT THE BEGINNING YOU'LL JUST FAIL ANYWAY. DO IT. JUST DO IT. IT WILL BE FINE. IT ALWAYS IS. It always is. You're a good choice. I know you can do it.'

The voice… no… the _something_ or over… It wasn't a voice more like… a feeling.

Yes, a feeling.

The feeling was warming up nicely from its frozen state.

'Only you could. There's only one shot… You have to… For them…'

The feeling became a cover and kept her close to let her feel safe, needed, secure yet it wouldn't let go.

Not that she wanted it to.

It was just _too_ nice, stability and comfort.

How could she want it to go away?

'To protect and to care for are _your_ basic functions… It's why… you deserve this chance…'

She wondered who the hell was talking to her. At first she had hated it. The sound was as cold as ice. It stabbed through her to get attention, but when she did pay attention, it warmed up and protected and _cared_ for her, if a feeling could do that.

"FINE! I'll be your Balance! I'll do it by myself… I'll do it FOR THEM!" Richochet had no idea who 'they' were but it seemed right. Hell, she didn't realise it was her yelling at them to basically 'Bring it on' she just agreed with that influence that drove her to do so. "You won't stop me, got it?! I won't fuckin' let you!"

The huge dome of power slammed down to her.

"**Later, little one. By the way? Nice one.**"

She, funnily enough, wept and smiled as she screamed.

* * *

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* * *

_You were tested._

_Laugh._

_Confusion._

'_What? Tested?'_

_Nod._

_Of course._

'_What kind of test?'_

_Blink._

_Smile._

_You won't ask if you failed or not?_

_Hum._

'_Does it matter?'_

_Smirk._

_Not all the time, I suppose._

_Frown_

'_Though… I guess I do want to know. Who are you?'_

_You won't remember these little things, will you?_

'_Why?'_

_Suspicion._

'_I am Bastet. You used to pray to me. She used to like cats.'_

'_Who?'_

_You._

'…_I like weasels more now. Is that okay?'_

_Chuckle._

_Is anything okay?_

'_Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so. I always remembered that line.'_

_Sometimes, something has to be named good or bad. Why?_

_Pause._

'_We need something to grasp onto. We need this… BALANCE! Shit! That's it… all that happened.'_

_Sigh._

_Yes, we do. We need the Balance. Didn't you-_

'_Become a balance. Yeah. Why me though?'_

_You're a mix of cruelty and kindness. Haven't you had something like this talk before?_

'_Yeah… Rokubi like's his lecture. Jeeze… What about the test?'_

_You know all about it already, Balance._

'_Who was speaking to me? That voice… no wait… that feeling…'_

_Laughter._

_Why, you were of course! The deepest part of you is inherently powerful amongst the powerful._

_Rokubi, huh…_

_No, you. We need you. And your friend._

'_Naruto?'_

_You two represent the classic opposites. Male and female. Good and bad._

'…_So I'm the bad side huh. I guess it's not so bad.'_

_It's just a side you were given. It's a side he was given._

'_Oh. Luck of the draw?'_

_No. Just being._

'_This is confusing.'_

_But you understand._

'_Like magic?'_

_Smile._

_You could call it that. It's known this was to happen. Some things just have to mix and then create._

'_And create?'_

_Smirk._

_You'll need someone else for that._

'_If so… why does he get just two of them? Isn't there more than two sides?'_

_There are three._

'_Why three?'_

_Three is a magic number._

'_Then why are there only two of us?'_

_There'll be another. The first, the sixth and the ninth. Three of you with the power numbers of being._

'_Being is hard.'_

_You mortals do have it hard, don't you?_

'_What about you immortals?'_

_We watch. And hope._

_Wince._

'_Oh. THAT word. Gah…'_

_Laughter._

_Hope? It's quite unforgiving, isn't it?_

'…_I don't know how to answer that.'_

_Contentment_

_I'm glad. Have fun._

'_Ah, wait! Will I speak to you again?'_

_Affection._

_You won't need me to speak to. You have them._

_Frown._

_Who are they?_

_You know that too, Balance. _

'_O…kay…'_

_You have that ability to give strength._

'_Am I… strong?'_

_Strength only matters when it's needed. Just remember Strength and Stability, Friends and Enemies and Hope and Redemption. You three have it._

'_Why us?'_

_You needed it much more than others need you to have it._

* * *

**_R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N_**

_

* * *

_

Her eyes blinked open and Richochet stared up into deep dark blue eyes. A look of relief went over this masculine face. "Ah thank whoever the hell brought you back to consciousness, un!"

"…Dei…dara?"

"Of course, un!" He grinned and a sense of respite came over her as she sighed. The blonde frowned sadly. "What's wrong, un?"

"…"

The Kazangan wielder turned her face away.

Deidara let the sadness he felt at her blocking him out come over her face.

He knew she was secretive, it was obvious, but it'd be nice to-

"C-Can I… h-have a… hug?"

Richochet may have the ability to give strength to other… but sometime it just had to be reciprocated.

"Oh, Richochet, unnnn…" He swept her bodily to him and let her feel the full force of a 'Special-Deidara-Sized' hug. He could almost taste the gratitude and relief that flowed from her very aura as she blindly grasped back and clawed her fingers into his shoulder blades. "I'll give you a hug any time you want, un!"

Richochet let a small smile on her lips. She was emotionally and physically drained and needed someone to cling to. She wanted to cling on to the first person she saw. So she did.

Then why did she feel and itch for another random persons' hug?

Shaking it off, she just revelled in the soothing touches of Deidara's comfort for the next ten minutes.

"Better, un?"

She broke off first and looked away, embarrassed.

Deidara beamed and mussed up her hair, which she didn't like but let him this once, knowing she was going to regret it.

She cleared her throat. "Quite. I got your damn stuff." She went to her back pocket but blinked when she found her bare skin. Her eyes narrowed to slits and she turned her head to show her unimpressed look.

He chuckled nervously. "D-Don't look at me like that, un! I found you like that in my living room, un! SERIOUSLY, UN! All of your stuff was lying around you, including your clothes, un! I just wrapped a blanket around you, un!"

After what happened to her, Richochet was hard pressed no to believe him.

"I'll let you off this once." She smirked at him and chuckled at his sigh of reprieve as he flopped back on his sofa, reassured she wouldn't kill him just yet. "I had the weirdest dream…"

"About what, un?" Deidara said as she grabbed the clothes on the ground next to her. He turned away as she got dressed, staring at his bottle of Sake. He was going to dress her again, but he figured he'd need to be slightly inebriated in case she woke up. At the time it seemed a good idea, but on seconds though she may think he was trying to pull something on her while she was unconscious and he drunk.

And that was a REALLY bad idea.

Richochet was _scary_ as hell.

Especially now she was a certified half demon.

Nooot good.

"Chakra… I remember this ton of chakra… jutsu and words…" Richochet tugged on her ninja footwear after her underwear, shorts and top, a thoughtful look on her face. "It was crazy."

Deidara turned to her as she dug through her things for a scroll. "Really, un?"

"Yeah… I was performing a transportation technique that sends the user and anyone the user chooses anywhere in the world. Demon thing. I must have blanked out since it was my first time using it." She put it all together.

"At least you're safe, un." Deidara grinned as he caught the scroll he was thrown and happily took out the bottles. "YAY, UN! You even got the deluxe super sized ones, un! I'm so happy, un!" He beamed and hugged all of the bottles. "See ya later, un and we'll train tomorrow at noon when I come to pick you up, un!"

Richochet gave him a look which he either didn't see, didn't care or ignored since he ran on up to the stairs and practically flew up them to get to his bathroom. Seconds later she heard the shower running and sighed.

Grabbing her belongings, she took out a small scroll and unsealed the food, holding onto her bag with one hand on a strap and left the room to go to the front door. Opening it and closing it after, she turned to the Hokage's tower and gave it an annoyed look.

"Dango now. Stupid Tsunade. I better get paid for this little mission. I hate being a courier."

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* * *

This was a veeery important part of the plot, I must say. Hoped you liked it as I did writing it.

Mucho love.

Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming to a website near you!

Ten Words -

Acceptance. Apartment. Exploding. Shame. Park. Not calm. Something else important.

* * *

**R.**

* * *


	25. Chapter XXV

**Bonjour, mes amies! And how is everyone. I'm feeling... spiffy. Why? Well, I'm feeling clean I guess. I just listened to my brother leaving the house with his little friends and he went 'later, Lauren! Laters cuz!' Yuh, I coulda sworn we were brother and sister just two seconds prior. Little Freak.**

_So, my thankies and warm hot chocolate go to..._

_Moogle In Paradaisu (you always review first it seems...wow) - Zero Asakura - Ugly.Beautiful - Frozen Tempest - Depressing Truths - Hibiki-chan - Neko of Light - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Joster13 - P260even - Silver Mononoke - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Blood Zephyr - Sanya12 - Kimura Akira_

_Enjoy the virtual hot chocolate! Onwards!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**

* * *

**

"Go away Mizu." Richochet said through gritted teeth, holding back her irritation as she walked back slowly to her current home, the Hyuuga Residence.

The beautiful person pouted, just annoying our worldly anti-heroine even more. "B-But your mission… Didn't you have fun? Didn't you learn any secrets? Did you learn any new techniques?"

Richochet glared at her suspiciously and shoved her away. "Why the hell do you want to know?"

Mizu shrank back and it was then the other person saw it. The drawing of her eyebrows that signalled spite before it left and a woeful, stupid look came to her face. "I just wanted to know how it went and if you were okay!"

She sniffed and ran off dramatically and several people who had witnessed scowled at the girl left behind disapprovingly.

The Kazangan wielder merely flipped them off with a middle finger, not in the mood to spit words of venom at them. Stupid idiots. What the hell did they know? She shoved her hands in her shorts pockets, a dark look on her face as she glared hatefully at the ground.

Walking off down the road and ignoring the whispers of gossip about her that she could hear with her enhanced senses, she tried not to flinch at the stares she felt on her, thinking back to what had just happened with the small blur of emotion on her 'rivals' face.

She hadn't exactly thought about Mizu as of late, since training, important people and missions had been her prominent problems in life. It was hard to juggle these things fairly without missing something. Especially when she had never done something like this before. It grated on her nerves and she seemed to have few left lately.

What she needed was a long sleep in that bed she always could return to in the Hyuuga household. She felt relieved at that thought. If there was one stability, it was that bed. At least until she got kicked out of the place, in which she would have to make sure that she had somewhere else to stay.

'_I guess its time to start a new part of my life. Rokubi was my introduction into this world and now it's time for the next chapter to begin._' The lava eyed girl mused to herself as she rounded the corner to the Hyuuga's home. '_I should buy an apartment. With the money from the missions both those two big ones, which had turn A-rank bordering on S simply because of _two_ missing nins, the other S one, and those D-rank, some of the money from Hiashi and the rest from the bandits, I should have more than enough._'

'_Ne, Ne, Richochet-chaaan!_' Naruto said, apparently listening to her internal conversation, as he interrupted. '_You can buy an apartment block down from me! Wouldn't Neji's face be hilarious?_'

Kyuubi disagreed. '**YOU SHOULD STAY NEAR HIM. ROKUBI WOULD HAVE WANTED IT.**'

Richochet leaned against the wall of the Hyuuga Estate, thinking.

'_There's also the point of Hyuuga's thinking I was taking advantage off of them._' Richochet said to them and she felt agreement on their link. '_Then again, it surely must have been expected I would leave sometime? I mean…_'

'_Well, 'ttebayo, it's up to you._' Naruto shrugged. '_I agree with both you girls. Neji is your teacher and you haven't learnt all about Gentle Fist. What if they put that curse mark on you?!_' He shouted suddenly, loud as usual.

'_I don't have Byakugan._' Richochet pointed out. '_Deidara did so to prove his loyalty. I'm Seishou and not Hyuuga, anyway. They'd have to consult me first or something._' Then she shook her head, ignoring those who walked past her as she felt them with her Kazangan. '_Anyway! This whole thing was at first a mission for Neji to train me! A mission!_'

'**A VERY LONG MISSION.**'

'_And he's getting repaid by having a bitchy student, dattebayo! What a crap mission!_' Naruto grinned as he mocked her.

Richochet just smirked instead of running off to find him and smack him one. '_Sucks for him then. I've been having fun._'

'_Evilness._'

She chuckled lightly to her self in sadistic amusement. '_Definitely. So, should I get an apartment and leave?_'

'**BUY AN APARTMENT, FURNISH IT WITH YOUR HUMAN CONTRAPTIONS, AND STAY UNTIL YOU HAVE OUTWELCOMED YOUR STAY.**' The Kyuubi suggested. '**OR EVEN A LARGER HOUSE AND SHARE WITH THIS BRAT.**'

Richochet perked up. '_Bunk with Naruto?_'

Naruto seemed surprised but willing. '_YEAH! Let's buy a house and live together! Oh, Oh! Deidara tooo!_'

"I wonder…"

"Wonder what?" The voice of Hyuuga Neji replied.

Richochet stared up into white lavender eyes in surprise, having ignored the Kazangan's abilities. A small smirk then settled on her lips. "Well, sensei, you wouldn't like it. I think."

'_Kissy, kissyyyy!_'

Her hand twitched, clenching into a fist but then she crossed her arms over her chest before Neji saw and wondered what the hell was wrong with her. Well, more than normal anywho.

"Oh?" Neji raised a brow at her, arms crossed in patience, trying to prompt her into telling without words being spoken from him. "I wouldn't like it? Try me."

'_Should I…? Should I not…?_' Richochet couldn't decide. Having a temporary bit of triumph and pissiness from him or having him find she had a whole bloody house already and had been planning it for a while and having him being disappointed in her. She immediately chose the former choice but stopped as her mouth opened to spew the words.

Wait.

Why the hell would she care?

What was this feeling she had when the thought of his disappointment was worse than his anger?

'**SHAME.**'

Had she truly let him in that far that she'd feel shame, SHAME of all things, grip her because of her own selfishness? She'd _never_ felt shame for anything she did because she had been truly shameless since she was young.

Naruto and Kyuubi wisely left the conversational link they had. She needed to explore her own life and emotions on her own right now. The time of back up would come later and that was when they'd step in to lend an unwanted but unwillingly accepted hand. Anyway, they had their own thoughts, wants and needs they have to get back to.

Her teacher was there to help her, at least.

Neji blinked and uncrossed his arms.

She was hesitant?

Seishou Richochet was confident in all her moves, like a well experienced chess player, always smirking at you from the other side of the board with amusement and superiority and making you grit your teeth in annoyance.

"Richochet, what's going on in that head of yours?" His voice interrupted her and she looked up at him.

He frowned very slightly.

She seemed, unsure, maybe?

Lost, even.

Gently exhaling a sigh from his mouth, he grabbed her elbow and led her away from the Hyuuga estate to go to the nearest quieter spot and she let herself be dragged wondering briefly where they were going.

Richochet decided she didn't care and left it at that.

* * *

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* * *

The park. 

It was late evening, so the sun had already set, it being the middle of February, and not many children would be out in this chilly month. There were a few birds chattering in their own song like words to each other, calm and happy, settling down to sleep.

Neji quickly found a bench and guided her to it. It unsettled him to know she didn't even argue or make sarcastic or somewhat perverted comments about him taking her wherever he pleased. A pull at him emotionally made him redden at the implications before he put his thoughts into something else.

He sat her down with a point of his finger and she slumped into it, staring at him apathetically. Settling himself next to her as she drew up her right leg to set her foot on the bench and wrap an arm around her knee, leaning on it, Neji stared at her waiting for her to begin.

There was a short silence as she looked up at the stars, figuring what to tell him first. She was heading back to the start of everything, in her mind, of what started off her problems.

The mission?

Rokubi?

Mizu?

The apartment?

Neji himself?

"Tell me." Said person cut through her thoughts. He sighed at her silence. "What the hell is wrong?"

Finally looking to him she gave an answer that was very vague, but for her it was a beginning as she wasn't too happy on being half force to tell anyone anything as she didn't want to. "Many things at once."

"Then… tell me something little first…" He said awkwardly, having next to nothing of experience in this field. "If it helps…"

Actually, it kinda did.

"I have a demon in me. Raijuu no Rokubi, was his name. A complete bastard and merciless at the beginning of our…" Richochet narrowed her eyes in thought, trying for a word but came up with nothing that suited it. "…Relationship, I suppose you could call it. He was cruel to me as I was back to him but we both found it helped in our… situation."

Now.

How to go on?

"It's hard to talk about it really since it's so… _close_ to me that I can barely get my meaning across of how deep we were, no matter how shitty we were to each other in this connection." She despised the fact she could only basically repeat what she was saying. "I guess it truly stopped when we became allies with Kyuubi-sama and Naruto. I have a link and can speak to them anytime." The girl took a deep breath as Neji hissed.

"You _idiot_. Do you realise how two demons together could-"

"Rokubi's gone." She stated monotonously, looking at the stars.

That grabbed Neji's attention as he snapped his head to her, eyes searching for lies on her blank face. "What?"

"He's… _gone_." She bit out harshly, practically snarling at him, glaring at her knee. "It happened a few days back. I'm guessing you realised my illnesses were because of coming to this world and because of the demon in me?" Richochet sighed at his hesitant nod. "Naruto will go through it when he's fifteen, and maybe for all the other Jinchuuriki if they get the chance. And the result will be the same."

"That's… _brilliant_ though." Neji spoke up to her, wondering why she was so solemn. "We don't have any more worries. Uzumaki-kun will be fine and won't be shunned any-"

"No." Richochet ran a hand through her hair which sparked with electricity for a brief few moments. "Uzumaki won't be _fine_, Neji. Just like what I'm about to tell you won't be fine either." She took in a shaky breath and clenched the bench with her shaking palms.

This was it.

Make it or break it.

Deidara had accepted it.

Hinata had accepted it.

Naruto had accepted it.

But would the person that she, admittedly to herself, cared for most accept it?

The dread of the answer was probably worse than the actual answer, she told herself.

"Three other people have accepted it. Naruto has understood what will happen to him also." Richochet took in another shaky breath and put on a resolute face as she turned to him. "Demons don't truly ever go away, Neji. Rokubi gave me a parting gift."

Neji stared back at her, a sense of knowing filling his subconscious as his conscious didn't recognise what he already knew. "What is it, Richochet? What do you to have to tell me?"

"I'm… half weasel demon half human. Rokubi died in me, giving me his power and half of his demonity, I should call it if we are humanity."

The response who she thought she would get wasn't it at all.

"…Do you want to kill everything in sight?"

What the hell…

What the hell… did that have to do with…?

She shook her head in a negative fashion.

"Then I don't care."

Richochet looked in disbelief as a sense of fury welled up in her at his uncaring attitude. She stood up abruptly and started to rant and vent at him to get rid of the red hot pins of emotion in her. "I brought all of that up, wasted seconds of my life getting worried and pissed off and scared trying to work up the nerve to say something like this and you don't even react with any great emotion?! I'm FUCKING half demoness here!"

He looked around to make sure no one heard, but as it was blank he decided there were no worries, and smirked at her in amusement. "What did you expect, stupid student of mine?"

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!!" She looked away holding her hair in confusion as tears of unrepressed emotions welled up in her eyes and turned away from him. "I FUCKING WELL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I'M THINKING OR WHAT I WANT, ALRIGHT?!"

"You want to know why I'm calm?"

"_YES!!_"

"I'm not." Neji stated, knowing the time for truth was needed. He stood up and turned her around by the shoulders. It was then she felt his shaking hands. It was then she saw the look of… _something_ on his face. It was then she saw his eyes. "I'm scared. Do you know what it's like to be told the person you feel closest to you, the closest person who had always been a, unknown to them, a source of strength and is crumbling in front of you?"

'_Source of strength? Shit, it really is true… Balance…_'

"Neji, I-"

"No, listen. You've had your rant." His hands gripped her shoulders tightly and she supposed it would've hurt if she were… fully human. "Let me have mine, please." That last note of slight pleading got to her and she felt… worried… at that. "You're my student; I'm supposed to look after you. You said I was your tree. That you needed my stability. I don't know why but I took that to heart, Richochet. Hell, I _needed_ to hear that. When my father had that scroll written to me and given by my father, I lost my way."

The weasel girl wondered for a very brief split-second what the scroll said on it before listening again.

"All my anger into being the best just to spite Hiashi was worthless. I needed something. I got you."

She felt her eye twitch when he said that with a funny smirk as he looked at her.

Why that…!

The Hyuuga continued before she got violent. It was as if he has a sixth sense to her changing moods. "I got a rambunctious, blunt, prideful, stubborn, bitch of a girl that I didn't want to deal with at all."

"Charming." She replied sarcastically, feeling as though she was becoming herself once again.

"Hmph. It hasn't changed either. Your arrogant tendencies grew on me over these months. You became someone who needed my strength and could put up with me." Neji chuckled at her surprised look. "Yes, I'm aware of how I can be at times."

"A bastard." Richochet said brusquely. "And at times? You must be joking."

He glared at her.

"I'm being honest here. Shut up."

Richochet complied, knowing it best to back off.

"Meh."

He glared at her a little more before letting the tightness of the frown go. "I saw that, in the beginning of our stormy relationship, you had secrets. Well, I did too, so I didn't care. When you started to become ill again however, things started to change. I knew I'd grow to like you as a comrade at least, since being with you and teaching you would take quite the while. I didn't realise that I would _depend_ on you to be around as a constant like you do for me. That tree analogy just made me realise it sooner."

Richochet tried to wrap her head around his words, but just couldn't find what she was looking for and it pissed her off. "Hyuuga Neji, tell me what the hell you're trying to say."

He twitched and then sighed once more, knowing who he was dealing with and how she could be. "What I realise is there are other things about you that I like on top of the obvious. There are things I see in you I don't even think you see. It's also odd that… Unlike with my team mates or even with my family, I need _you_. _You're_ my best friend." He gripped her and pulled her to his chest, hugging her tightly. "I'll always accept you; I guess the bottom line here is."

She gulped as she felt his heart beat in his chest softly in her ears. Without even wanting to, her arms moved up to wrap loosely around his waist, tightening with each moment passing. Her hands gripped his back, shaking as her emotions, after years of pent up rage, sorrow, unhappiness and simply _everything_ exploded from her head into tears that steadily dropped out as her body quaked.

Neji looked down at her in shock as she broke down, sobbing and rocking herself from side to side. Gulping in shock and surprise, he pulled her to the ground and helped to rock her.

She mumbled something like a mantra, but he couldn't pick it up until he put his ear right next to her mouth.

"I'm needed…. I'm needed… I'm needed…"

Neji frowned in disbelief.

Something like this so _easily_….?

The Hyuuga decided that he'd keep a closer eye on her. He wouldn't let his friend enter any situations that could damage her mentally without him anymore when he was there to help.

If a simple honest admission could do something to her like that…

Yes, Hyuuga Neji would look after his student with greater attention than he'd given to anyone or anything else.

His head snapped down when he felt her collapse and quickly checked her vital points.

He groaned in annoyance and relief.

She was just asleep from being completely drained.

Picking her up and putting her on his back so as to grip her lower thighs, since there was no way he'd let her lie in a park – it'd do more than damage his reputation, to be sure – he carried her back to his house.

A small smile spread on his lips.

It felt good to be needed like this.

Neji liked this feeling.

He frowned. He was getting somewhat clingy.

Ah well.

He'd think about that part of himself later.

The teen looked up at his household as it came into view, tightening his hold on his charge just a little bit more.

Right now, he was kind of tired.

As he walked into his house…

…Neji couldn't help but think there was something else he should have said.

Something else important.

But what?

* * *

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* * *

Richochet blinked up blearily at the pillow from her sleeping position. She was on her stomach, looking to the right, her left arm above her head and cradling her skull in the angle of her elbow while the other held the pillow to her face and chest, her covers barely covering her waist and feet as it fell off her legs to group on the floor. 

She shivered and sat up, and noticed that she was in some spare adults top that reminded her of what Neji now wore, but larger as it fell to her mid thighs. Not giving a damn how she got into it, she stood up and realised that she could feel the top right against her developing chest.

She was about to mutter how annoying it was that she didn't know what happened since yesterday, she felt a churning in her lower abdominals and groaned.

Staring at the bed, she woke up quicker than she would when she realised there was blood dripping down her leg and was on her bed.

"WHAT the HELL?!"

She immediately felt Neji's chakra stroll down the corridor in a hurried fashion and he slammed open the door.

He opened his mouth but then took everything in and paled.

'_That's why she was so un-Richochet-like in the park... Oh shit._'

"Neji! What the fucks wrong with my body?! My lower body hurts!"

Neji paled even more, looking very white before reacting in the only way a guy could.

"HINATA-SAMA! COME HERE IMMEDIATELY!" He shouted at the top of his voice. "P-PLEASE!" His voice squeaked at the end a little, making Richochet wonder what the hell was going on with him.

The small purple haired female did so.

Neji went red as he pushed her in. "Tell her about the facts of life, please! I'll get some help to replace… these…" He sped out of there. His instincts were warning him to stay away for the next few instances, lest he incur the wrath of a certain half demon girl.

Hinata took in everything and made a small 'oh' as she understood. Patiently, she walked over and sat down on a chair next to her desk with all the elegance of a princess despite what was going on. "This'll be hard to believe but… Children come from the stomach of woman. Or rather a womb."

"I know that bit, but how is that connected to… this?"

Neji came back in with a maid who also took in everything with a wince and then a peculiar smile. Then she looked at Richochet's confused face and gave a deeper, motherly look to her. "First time?"

Richochet just stared at her blankly, slight confusion evident. Then she spied Neji retreating. "Wait _right_ there mister." Neji stilled and looked over his shoulder, giving the impression of being cornered. "If I go through this, shouldn't it be taught to me, _sensei_? _S-Stay_, damnit."

Flustered, Neji - _Neji_ was actually _flustered_ – came back in and leaned against the wall uncomfortably.

"Come with me for a second, please."

Richochet and the maid left, some clothes in hand, and five minutes later Richochet was back in the room in her old training clothes. These were her black shorts and strap top, weights in place and baggy dark red jumper around her waist, hair a little more tamed. Not that she wasn't a tame looking person anyway, but still.

"Now, let's begin from the top…"

Somehow, Richochet felt as if someone was giving her a jail sentence.

* * *

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* * *

In the courtyard, Neji, Richochet and Hinata were sat on the wooden flooring overlooking the tree. 

It was quiet.

It was tense.

It was making Neji sweat with hidden nervousness.

Honestly, he hadn't been this edgy around any other girl when he knew unfortunately they were because of the Byakugan… but he supposed going through what he did with Richochet – A.K.A. the talk and seeing the blood - made it ten times worse since he felt apart of it.

"Hey, Neji?"

"…I'm afraid to reply but, yes?"

Hiashi walked by, intent on getting to his study to get some more work done as he overheard by accident.

"You're so lucky you have a penis."

He paused in his step, put his Byakugan on, smirked in realisation, turned it off, and walked on again.

His nephew would have to get used to his student growing up.

Sometimes, it was good to be a male.

Hopefully Neji would appreciate his gender when Richochet showed _more_ symptoms.

Hiashi's smirk widened in sadistic amusement.

Oh the _poor_ boy.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

A little ways over in a dirty, ramen-cup infested room, Naruto was staring blankly at the wall, eyes wide and mouth even wider. 

'_So a man has a… for…_'

Kyuubi was enjoying this.

'**YES, KIT.**'

'_And a woman had these… monthly's… for…_'

She was more than enjoying his plight.

'**YES, KIT.**'

Naruto twitched.

"…_**OH MY GOD, DATTEBAYOOOOOO!!**_"

Kyuubi roared with laughter.

"I should go see her and help her somehow!"

'**NO.**'

Naruto frowned in confusion. '_WHAAAT?! But Kyuu-chan!_'

'**NO.**'

'_Aww, come on, Kyuu-chan!_'

'**NO, KIT. YOU WILL NOT SEE HER TODAY, SHE IS LEARNING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.**' Kyuubi replied, wanting to hit the brat for being so hot-headed and stubborn. '**WE WILL SEE IN THE DREAMS.**'

Naruto pouted as he sat on his bed, scrolls in front of him. He had been trying to summon foxes, but when he hadn't got one completely right he had, against his pride and knowing she would mock, decided to ask the ever-brazen Richochet to help, wanting to see if she had started practising her one summon.

Then heard the conversation.

It kind of scared him how Richochet would act…

…As if she wasn't scary enough.

'**SOMETIMES, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND YOUR FONDNESS FOR HER. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION HAS SHE INSULTED YOU.**'

Naruto just grinned. '_It means she cares for me. Kinda like how Sasuke…_' He fell into a pause. '_Like how _he_ was before he left, but just a bit more… like me and him as a mix! He didn't speak up, but Chet-chan does on anything she wants to speak of, even if to insult me. And I argue back, so it's all good, dattebayo!_'

Kyuubi pondered on that for a while. '**YOU HUMANS ARE ODD. DEMONS WOULD JUST KEEP IT TO THEMSELVES AND ONLY CONTRIBUTE COMPLIMENTS WHEN NECESSARY.**'

'_Yeah, well, demons can be too simple in their ways of social stuff and humans are reeeeeeealy weird._'

'**HMPH. WORK ON YOUR SUMMONING.**'

''

A sudden tapping at his window made him look up in confusion. A Chuunin stood there, waiting to be let in. Naruto opened his window and gave him a puzzled look. "Why're you on my window sill, dattebayo?!"

"To give you a scroll." The Chuunin rolled his eyes and tossed it to him. "Later." He bounded off back to the Hokage's tower.

Naruto glared at his back. "Arsehole."

'**JUST READ IT.**'

'_Fine._'

His eye blurred though it quickly and all he got was 'Naruto' and 'Richochet' and 'Jiraiya' and 'Three Year Journey' before grabbing his new dark blue or orange coat, turned it inside out for the orange, shoved it on and raced out of the apartment to go and visit Tsunade-baa-san

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet was staring at the ground glumly, hating her cycle as she meditated as much as she could to get her new chakra circulatory systems working properly. 

Hinata was rubbing her lower back helpfully, bird summon scroll next to her, unopened as she worked her hands into circular motions. She knew how depressing such a thing could be, having been an 'early bloomer' at ten.

Neji was just practising his Byakugan time to see how long he could keep it going when he spotted a certain blonde kid running towards them and stifled a groan.

"OI! Chet-chaaaan! We have business! We gotta see Tsunade-baa-san! Now!"

The three looked up at him.

Sighing, the other-worlder nodded and stood up. "Whatever. Let's go see that damn hag then."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Glad to see you came." 

'_On three, yeah? One… Two… Three!_'

'_Now!_'

"Good to see you too, Tsunade-baa-san, you pretty old hag you!!" The two chimed together with smirks on theirs faces as they waved happily at her causing her to scowl deeply and put her in a bad mood.

Jiraiya, perched on the window sill to her left, burst out into guffaws of laughter, slapping his knee in joy at the Hokage's expression of pure murder and rage.

"That was brilliant, kids!"

"WHY YOU-!! AND YOU JIRAIYA! DON'T PUSH THEM INTO THINKING SUCH THINGS ARE FINE!!!"

Jiraiya took in her evil look.

"EEEP!!"

Richochet and Naruto gave each other a thumbs up and winked with larger smirks of triumph.

"We did good, ne?"

"If I was part of it, then of course."

Naruto sweatdropped before glaring at her. Then he sighed at her smirking at him. "Richochet will be Richochet."

"We're here because Jiraiya wants to ask something of you." Tsunade said through gritted teeth, and the two looked from her to the old man with fuzzy white hair. "Take over, Jiraiya."

He slapped his knees and stood up. "I've decided to take on some more students. Namely you two. You both passed my expectations when I took you out for training. Also," he turned to Richochet. "I took your friend on a week trip too. That Mizu girl. She did far better than either of you did."

The Genin twitched.

"You've got to be kidding me." Richochet muttered in disbelief. "That _thing_ beat _me __**and**__ Naruto_?"

"EH?! But I've been training for years, and even Richochet has been doing gymnastics, claw blades and Taijutsu since she was a kid and then that stupid girl comes with only a few months training and beats us? What the hell, man?!" Naruto ranted like usual. "That's not right!"

Another thought occurred to Richochet as she blurred out Naruto's voice, scowling at the ground with arms crossed over her chest. Mizu seemed to be a bit too good at what she did and she seemed a bit too keen on wanting to know what was gong on in her life. It was getting pretty damn suspicious.

And Richochet hadn't been learning to be more focused like a ninja instead of an underground fighter for nothing.

Yes, Mizu was trouble.

She cursed herself for not noticing soon enough.

"Enough Naruto." Tsunade held up a hand before sing it to brush her hair back from her view. "What's done is done."

"Anyway, I want to bring you two with me to train for three years away from Konohagakure no Sato." Jiraiya finished his short monologue. "I know it might not be a big thing for you Richochet, but Naruto, I'll understand if you'd rather not."

Naruto looked up at him, still shocked hearing it despite having read it already, before staring out the window mouthing 'three years…' silently. It was hard to choose whether he wanted to or not.

"You're going Naruto." Richochet said putting a hand to her hip. "It's not that hard to choose."

"Yes it is!" He insisted, startled at her demanding tone. "I can't just leave!"

Tsunade and Jiraiya watched with frowns. Tsunade was about to yell at Richochet for speaking like that but her team put a hand to her shoulder gently making her look at him.

He shook his head and leant down to her ear. "They're closer than you think. Richochet knows what she's doing, despite how harshly she's actually handling it."

Tsunade just tightened her lips to a thin line and continued to watch.

"Yes you can. What's so hard to choose about it?"

"My friends! They'll wonder where the hell I am!"

Richochet's eyes narrowed, ignoring the fact that the statement could have meant she wasn't his friend and taking in a breath. Act mature. Act mature. Act mature. "What about your other friend? Isn't he, too, under a Sannin? Every second that goes past is one where he's learning techniques, to defeat your friends, to decimate your country, to destroy _you_. You want to be left behind in power? You want to be left behind in power where he could possibly come back and destroy Konoha with that snake?"

Naruto flinched and gripped his hands into fists. "If we go he could-"

"He's not that strong yet, Naruto. In war both sides need time to recuperate, to regroup. We have a bigger land, and as such, more people to defend it." Richochet commented. "And on the way we'll find rumours of his whereabouts." She hated where she was going next - the words were too flowery, deep and pretty for her. She put her hands on his shoulders and turned him around to face her. "Also…"

Naruto cocked his head to the side.

"…Do you doubt the strength of Konoha's spirit of fire? The spirit that the Third Hokage died for?"

That brought all three to stare at her.

"…N-No I…"

"Didn't you make a promise to… Sakura? Don't you wanna get strong to uphold your word? Isn't that your ninja way? Since the Naruto _I_ know doesn't go back on his word."

Naruto gawped at her as she actually said his team mates name without insult before smiling softly.

"…Yeah…"

"Don't you wanna get strong to protect your home?"

He nodded with a grin.

Richochet felt as if she didn't need to go on, but what the hell.

A smirk crawled up her face at her next statement. "Don't you wanna protect Hinata-hime?" Her eyebrows waggled twice as he blushed red and she had to dodge a right hook as Naruto nodded. "So whatcha say? You coming with me to get strong or not?"

"YEAH!! Let's get strong, dattebayooo!"

Richochet crossed her arms and nodded once. She was satisfied.

"Good, cause if you said no I'd drag you with me anyway."

"HEY!"

"Whaaat? You wanna turn me into a liar or something?"

Naruto just huffed.

"Well, leave in two days later on at eleven PM." Jiraiya stated with two fingers up before placing the hand on his hip. "By the way, how are you with the scrolls?"

"I can summon Kamaitachi-san. The 'Boss' as he likes to be called. He's the highest summoning of weasel and he told me that Inari hadn't been summoned in quite a while." Richochet turned to Naruto as he stared at her again. "Well, it's easier than it was before…"

"My foxes are easier than my frogs but… THAT'S SO UNFAIR!" Naruto whined. "You better help me, Chet-chaaan!"

Tsunade and Jiraiya were amazed at the change of scenes from inspiring to childish in ten seconds flat. The adults sighed. That's just how it was with these two.

"Yeah, yeah, you big baby. Don't expect me to bottle feed you on this trip. I'll leave that to Ero-Sennin instead."

Two males cried out passionately in protest at that.

Richochet winced at their loudness. Damnit, her eyes may suck by seeing in long distance but without colour and detail but hell if her hearing wasn't good.

"Tsunade?"

"Yeah, brat?"

Richochet looked out to the country of Konoha. "Look out for Mizu."

The Hokage seemed surprised. "I thought you didn't like her."

She put a hand to hip. "I don't. That's why I'm telling you to look out for her. I've never trusted her to do anything but screw everyone over. She may have told you what I'm like and how I'm a bitch, which honestly is mainly true, but she's been asking way too many questions too. And gaining so much power in a few months... That's not right."

So, 'way too many' and 'so much' was a bit if an overkill, but if it got the job done…

Tsunade gave her a narrowed eye suspicious look which told her she didn't exactly believe her but didn't exactly doubt either. "Right now, you seem more suspicious than her." She replied bluntly.

'_She's got the Hokage wrapped around her finger already. That slippery water whore._' Richochet held back the twitch in her eye. "Whatever. I don't care either way. Your choice."

'_Seriously? Not because she bugs you?_'

She replied in the affirmative. '_That bitch does more than bug me. But yeah, seriously. And since you care for Konoha so much, I figured I do a favour or whatever to you._'

'_Thanks…_'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

A couple days later - it was now night time at about ten in the evening - Richochet was, thankfully, over her… womanly situation… and the teacher and student where back to learning. Neji was happily back in a role of control while Richochet was trying her best to defend herself or learn what he wanted. 

And right now she was learning the 'divine spin' to a greater extent.

"Now!" Neji called out as he stood watching with critical eyes and crossed arms and Richochet nodded.

A quick draw of the breath was taken in. "Hakkesho Kaiten!" She yelled out vehemently and exploded her raging chakra out of her circulatory chakra system. A huge ball of reddish gold energy surrounded her in a sphere and she forcefully made sure that the sphere stayed a sphere as she patched up the parts of the ball that chakra escaped from when she felt it weaken in parts.

The only problem was that there was far too much chakra exploding out to help her. She slowed down quickly, hands on knees and breathing deeply. "Too much chakra… to control." She fell onto her butt ignoring the fact her clothing, the same clothes she had on when taking Hanabi out along with the parka, was getting dirty. This had to have been the thirtieth time she did that this training time due to her immense chakra storage.

Neji sighed. He figured that she could go on far longer as part demon and she could, but control escaped her. Shaking his head in annoyance, he held out a hand and she gripped it as he picked her up. '_She's actually pretty… light. I'd have supposed she would have more muscle now she was demon but... everything's lithe and tone. That'll be bad for heavier opponents… Smaller targets equal more damage on the target._'

Letting go of her hand he put it to his hip. "You'll have to start tree walking and water walking exercises again. They might increase your chakra storage as well, but you'll need the control once more." He said wisely and she nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, yeah… Damn this pisses me off. You'd think it gets easier now your part demon but, no-o-o it's even worse." Richochet muttered to herself, much to Neji's amusement and consternation.

'_She's not still on her time is she…?_' He sure hoped not. The last time he did something wrong – apparently to her - she walloped him one and he had briefly wondered if she had taken lessons from their Hokage before realising she was a demoness on the edge and didn't need to before he went into gratifying unconsciousness.

"I'm taking a break to visit a friend." She said to him. The lava eyed girl was about to go but then paused and looked at him. "You coming?"

Neji raised a brow. '_Probably Naruto._' He shook his head. "No."

Shrugging, she accepted his answer.

"Alrighty, if his highness doesn't want to mingle with us peasants..." She smirked at his pissed off look. "Heh. Oh yeah. Rokubi wanted me to give you this. For my own safety and his own arrogance."

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" Neji replied to her making her give a fake laugh of amusement as to which he smirked. "Well? Stop wasting my time."

Richochet dug into her pocket and took out the heart on its chain gently. "I give you this." She could see it glow white and disappearing before reappearing on his upper right bicep as a tattoo. "It's to support and endorse our relationship… or whatever the hell we're in."

"I greatly accept." He said in revelation from getting it and pulled the button out of its place and taking off the sleeve. The heart shone different colours quickly and the chain was wrapped to his elbow, seemingly going into the bone. "It looks as if I could pull it out."

She pointed at him and a look of concern came over her features. "Instinct tells me that you can pull it out. Only you can do that now I've chosen you to look after me. You can look after it. You can break it. You can kill me. Though, I'd rather you don't do anything with it unless you feel you have to." She said with a fragile sense of sarcasm.

"Why would you give me your heart?"

She jumped up to the roof and smirked down at him with an oddly kind light in her eyes.

"I couldn't think of anyone better to give it to. I feel it belongs to you, Hyuuga Neji. See ya, yeah? I'll be back to torment you soon! Try to ease up, too, and don't forget me."

Richochet dashed off.

Neji scowled as he looked down.

She says all that and just… ups and leaves?!

That was _cruel_!

That _wasn't funny_!

That was…

"Just like her."

He chuckled wistfully.

"Does she even understand the implications of giving her heart away…?"

For all his annoyance and affection…

…Neji couldn't get the sense of her saying this was actually 'adieu' off of his chest.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Said all of your goodbye's?" 

Richochet cocked her head. "Goodbye? Heck, I never really said 'Hello'."

Jiraiya couldn't deny that logic as he handed her the bag she had packed a day ago.

She tossed it onto her back; grimacing at the heavy weight before taking out a sealing scroll and taking the bag back off. She did a quick blood sealing of it and shoved it into her parka jacket's pocket.

"You won't regret this will you?"

Richochet looked back to the area the Hyuuga complex was in and gave it a longing look before half smirking. Turning back to the old pervert of a man, she shook her head. "I don't regret."

"You won't regret saying goodbye?"

"I don't do goodbye."

He looked at her in disappointment.

"I said see ya later. I intend to make sure its stays that way. Anyway, no one ever truly says goodbye or hello." She looked up at the sky in a pensive moment. "It's more of a 'welcome back' and 'see you soon' if you think about it." She smiled at him sadly.

Jiraiya was exceedingly surprised to see such an emotion on her face. Her words were even more surprising yet. He'd leave the positive attitude to Naruto but, it seemed everyone had their moments. Including this weasel whisker marked girl.

It was…

Peculiar.

It seemed Richochet could be quite as good at surprising as the number one knuckle headed ninja was.

Though he warned himself not to get used to it.

It wouldn't be happening on a regular timescale.

That's for sure.

"It's weird, but I think I might actually miss this place. A lot of shit has happened to me here in Konoha."

Jiraiya was about to reply but Naruto jumped down from the roof to land next to them. "Yo! Time to go, 'ttebayo!"

"Nice rhyme. We have a lyrical master on our hands, Jiraiya." You could drown in the sarcasm in that one sentence. She smirked at his adorable fox like pout. "Kidding. Let's go, un?"

"Yeah! Hey, does Deidara know we're going?" Naruto asked her.

"I left a note in the scroll that he completely missed. I think." Richochet shrugged. "I bought him an extra set of camomile and jasmine shampoo, conditioner and body lotion trio as a good bye and thanks for training me present and I left it on his front step. I saw him come out, gawp at the set, grab them and run back in to have a shower. No questioning if there was some type of poison in it or anything. Crazy bastard."

Naruto sweatdropped as Jiraiya raised a brow.

"I also let Hiashi know, so he'll tell the other three Hyuuga's for me."

The blonde nodded and spoke up. "I told Sakura and Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei."

"Well, kids, let's go."

They left, with Richochet and Naruto looking back for one last time before jumping after their new Sensei.

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* * *

Maa, Maa, they left! For me, this is a mile stone in writing the story. I feel kinda sad they left. Still, who can tell me they saw it coming? Truthfully people! You can say Yay! Nay! Kinda thought it could happen but... blah blah blah and stuff. I liked this one quite a bit too. More so than other chapters.

I like Jiraiya a bit. He's a funny character in the anime that brightens it up and is good with Naruto.

Waah... Nearly everyone reading this seems to live in the USA. Crazyness. I update as soon as I could so I could have my cheesecake! Haha G-P-R! I have the cheesecake! Raspberry flavour too!

_Oh Yeah, Happy Birthday to P260even! Hope you get what you wanted! Say Happy Birthday, people!_

Please review!

Ten words.

_Swimming. Kino. Middle Stage. Homesick. Scared. Hyuuga Curse Mark. Dad._

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**R.**

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	26. Chapter XXVI

**Aloha! How's it going peeps? Another chapter out for ya'll! Be happy!**

**Glompage to...**

_Zero Asakura - -SoulMama- - Moogle In Paradaisu - Hibiki-Chan - Joster13 - Sanya12 - Frozen Tempest - SilverMononoke - Exhale Vanilla Lace - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Neko of Light - Depressing Truths_

_Oh, Yeah! Happy Birthdays hugs and Love to Neko of Light! Turning... uh, 18? I think it's 18... Yeah 18 tonight! Or is it today? Ah, who knows! Hope you get what you want! I wanna be 18... That means I can officially drink alcohol in England and drive. Yayness._

_Onwards, my readers!_**

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**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

**

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**

Richochet and Naruto were meditating upon the water bank, very near to the side, seeing as a certain person couldn't swim.

Yup.

Richochet couldn't swim.

She could barely doggy paddle her way out.

Odd, wasn't it?

You'd think someone like her would be able to.

Naruto snickered upon hearing her thoughts and she spared him a small irritated glare before focusing on her water walking meditating exercises once more.

Naruto moved a little and Richochet sighed mentally.

Here it comes…

"How can you _not_ know how to swim?! Everyone knows how to swim. Even cats do and they hate water!" Naruto laughed at her twitching, knowing how it got to her.

"Psh. So? Since when did you know how to swim?!" Richochet replied, going on the defensive.

"Since I was FIVE!"

Richochet jerked her head away as a small blush of embarrassment crawled up her cheeks.

"Ha! I win!"

"Whatever." She snapped. It was kind of a soft spot. She'd never had anyone teach her since she'd never needed to swim before.

Naruto grinned happily, please to get one up on her for once. They had a friendship that was based on sibling rivalry and trust, something she wasn't at all used to but she enjoyed it. Secretly anyway. Naruto was open about it as that was just the way he was.

A little bell went and the two sighed in relief.

Meditation over. Thank God. It was so damn boring.

These two demons carriers were really too active when it came to their favourite pastime of training and enjoying their favourite snacks. So when something as slow and time-wasting as meditating came up, they were glad it was over.

A sudden shock ran down the spines of the two who had held the title of Jinchuuriki and Hanyou. It felt warm as well as being a tremble. They looked at each other as the feel of warm breath tickled down their back and lightly settled in their abdomens, the stomach, and then to encompass their chests warmly.

"Kyuubi!" The both shouted, waiting impatiently for an answer as small pleasurable tingles raced through their entire being. Richochet crumbled to her knees and Naruto lay flat on the floor heavily as he began panting from the efforts of warmth running over them.

Kyuubi chuckled. '**IT HAS NOW COME INTO THE MIDDLE STAGE.**'

'_Wh-What…?_' Richochet whispered back, starting to sweat as she went on all fours and buried her head in her elbow, groaning as her breathing became irregular, heart pounding fast and she knew her companion felt the same.

'**DO YOU NOT REMEMBER?**'

'_If we did… WE WOULDN'T ASK!!_' Naruto yelled out with a slight squeak at the end, puberty kicking in. He curled into a ball, holding his stomach and it wasn't long before Richochet copied without knowing, her eyes shut and the two's senses went on overload. Heat curling around their bodies like a constricting snake emerged as the feeling intensified.

Kyuubi chuckled and the feeling on hands gripping them heightened almost painfully. '**YOUR MATING. YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE STAGE. THE FINAL STAGE HAS YET TO BEGUN AND IT WILL TAKE ONE ACT TO COMPLETE IT. THE OTHER HALF WILL BE OVERCOME BY NIGHTLY DREAMS UNTIL YOU RETURN TO THEM AND FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.**'

Naruto and Richochet paled at the thought.

'_We didn't agree to-_'

'**BUT YOU DID. UNCONSCIOUSLY, YOU ACCEPTED IT. BOTH OF YOU DID.**' Kyuubi said to Naruto and Richochet with an obvious smirk in her voice as she stated her words with an authoritative tone.

"What's this feeling…?" The other female asked, trying to stand once more but failing and collapsing to the ground.

'**YOUR OTHER HALFS ARE **_**DREAMING**_** OF YOU.**' Kyuubi roared in laughter making the other two stare at each other in embarrassment of what that was implying.

"Oh shit…" Richochet bit down on her lip as the effects of what Neji was feeling and dreaming bore down on her heavily. Naruto better be thinking the same because this was the weirdest thing she'd ever experienced.

And the most thrilling.

She felt… powerfully feminine.

She smirked. '_I guess this means the small dates I had with Mariku are over… I have to remind Jiraiya we're moving._'

Her soul bared open to them feelings and she drowned in them, finally passing out.

Naruto gawped at his companion as she blacked out just like that.

'**SHE IS HALF DEMON. FEELINGS IN RELATION TO SEX AND OF THE MATE ARE FAR INTENSE THAN AS A HUMAN. IT'S FAR MORE ENJOYABLE THAN YOU HUMANS SMALL INSIGNIFICANT FEELINGS.**' Kyuubi grinned mercilessly as Naruto went as red as his Hinata's usually did.

'_But she PASSED OUT like that?!_'

'**SHE ACCEPTED HIS FEELINGS AND THUS IS IN THE LAST STAGE. BARE YOUR SOUL NARUTO, TAKE WHAT BELONGS TO YOU.**'

Naruto gritted his teeth before taking the motions into him like he felt his friend do, letting it overwhelm him thoroughly as Kyuubi chuckled in his head and he passed out.

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* * *

Jiraiya blinked down at the two as they walked in together, sat next to each other sliding down against the wall in a daze, staring out of the clean window to the direction of Konohagakure no Sato.

"…Kids?"

They ignored him, something he frowned at.

"We're just a little… homesick… Ero-Sennin." Naruto said slowly. "We miss Konohagakure no Sato and it just hit us… literally."

Richochet smirked, eyes glossy still as she replied but still stared out. "Yeah… Homesick."

A smirk crawled up Naruto's lips as his eyes locked on to hers.

Jiraiya's eyes widened as they held hands, intertwining them warmly, foreheads touching. Were they _together?!_ No! That couldn't be! They had others who liked them! Then idea's popped into his head as he rammed his notebook out that held his ideas.

Demon style, huh?

"Y-You guys're…?!"

They glared at him with irritation and he felt sweat bead on his brow.

"No. We just like each other a lot, 'ttebayo." Naruto paused. "And not in the way you say!"

Richochet squeezed his hand. "It's true so don't think anything. We're going somewhere else tomorrow."

Jiraiya raised a brow before nodding. "Sure, but are you sure you guys aren't attracted to each other?"

They scowled in his general direction.

"Look, old man, just look after Kino while we sleep." She closed her eyes at his nod and let her mind drift as she felt her head slump onto Naruto's broader shoulder. The fox holder soon copied, flopping his head on hers.

Jiraiya blinked. So… they were just close… or had let themselves get close for security. That was fine with him. He understood perfectly. Everyone needed a really special friend. They had each other.

He smiled which turned perverted as Naruto and Richochet curled closer in their sleep.

Time for some _fun_.

Writing of course.

He'd move them later since Kino, the five year old they had found, liked to sleep next to Richochet.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Naruto yawned, mouth turning into a ginormous hole as he peered around the crappy hotel room they were in. The others were still sound asleep, though he didn't doubt that Richochet knew he was up. After all, he wasn't in the dream world anymore. He just wasn't tired and even the tempting training of the demons couldn't put his mind back to wanted unconsciousness.

That and he felt Richochet knew something he didn't these days. It was odd, but something had made their relationship just that bit different since a while after her becoming half demon. He looked down at the covers pooled around his waist as he sat up. He too would become part demon for the sake of the world.

Looking back on it, Naruto realised he would never had agreed to it if Richochet hadn't of been there. It was odd. She just… gave him confidence and made him feel good about himself… despite her sarcastic comments of course. He would have outright denied becoming something hated in this world. And he would have done it all for the sake of not being pushed out of humanity.

He suddenly felt selfish as his thought came to that line. It wasn't his fault though! Years of being treated like some dangerous creature had done that to him and he didn't want to become everyone's actual hate, for it to become real.

He was scared.

Scared of being hated again.

Scared of being alone again.

Scared of being abandoned again.

The heart aching agony he had felt from childhood was what he was afraid of.

So why did he agree so easily?

Surely only knowing one person for three months couldn't have changed him to accept what she did so readily as right, could it?

Sure she was pretty nice…

Well, she wasn't _nice_ per say. It was more of a… of a… just… He didn't know! She was just there and he felt as if she could have everyone lean on her and she wouldn't topple over like a pile of sticks and look after them with her sarcastic idiosyncrasies! She was like a mountain or something.

Richochet was… weirdly enough, comforting, to him. He'd come to depend on her, and she hadn't given him a reason yet to think that he could do otherwise.

The thing was, Richochet was cruel and did things that he wouldn't have dreamed her so uncaring for. She _killed_ bandits for their own stolen money and kept it instead of giving it back to others. In fact she had even told him she enjoyed it. She had enjoyed killing them as well as reaping the rewards it all gave her.

When he had asked what she meant by 'it all' she just smirked and told him he'd know in a couple years when he turned half demon and that, until then, he would have to put up with what she did like Jiraiya did.

Not only that, but she was actually pretty lazy too. He would have to do her chores of camp which Jiraiya gave her. And she just gave him that really irritating 'I'm better than you look' that he'd seen on Neji and Sasuke! It's like all these arrogant people were born with that look or something! It was really creepy!

And creepy was Richochet's eyes especially. They'd gone weird. When he mentioned on the mission whom they found Deidara on that they were getting swirly, she had figured out how to make the swirls go all the way out to the edges of her small-ish eyes.

Then again, he did get her back with how he'd grown taller than her over the eighteen months they'd spent with Ero-Sennin.

Huh. A whole year and a half.

Naruto stood up and looked out of the window, leaning against the cold glass. He shivered at it's first touch but then leaned more into it, staring up at the single clouded sky, peering at the moon.

He couldn't believe they'd been away that long.

Their journey was a whole half of a way done, and what a half it had been. The first thing they'd done this year for a whole three quarters of a year was to train the body.

Naruto winced and looked at the new calluses on his hands and then down at his legs to see the little scars on them. Weight training, on both ground, water and crazily enough, air – don't ask – was hell on their muscles. Jiraiya was one evil trainer that was for sure.

Not only that but the balance issue was crazy too.

They had to use their chakra to pull them forward and gain them better control as they balance several very moving and painful objects, such as balls of rock, on top of several books.

Oh yeah, get this.

They were on their hands the whole time.

Yup, Jiraiya was stark raving mad.

Naruto had mastery over Wind, Water and Fire, while Richochet had mastery over Lightning, Wind and Water.

They were suited to their demons though it was odd Naruto had water. The Kyuubi seemed to believe this was Naruto's base mastery and the Kyuubi gave it the Wind and Fire. It would be that Richochet's mastery was over Wind while Rokubi had given her Lightning and Water to back the Lightning's power up by simple water conduction.

The look on Jiraiya's face when their pieces of specialised paper were enhanced with chakra was brilliant. He kinda dropped his jaw, twitched and started gawping, his mouth open and closed like a fish. It was brilliant!

They wouldn't start the water yet until they controlled their first element of fire and lightning.

Then there was the fire chakra manipulation and lightning chakra manipulation. They were relatively the same since if Richochet slowed her chakra and flushed it out everywhere and if Naruto could tighten his chakra then speed it up immensely they could interchange the elements, though they'd never have complete mastery over each others element.

Fire style manipulation was a defensive and offensive at the same time. Like the one time he remembered having no control over Kyuubi back in the day with the whole team seven with that bridge builder and the chakra swirled around him, it was relatively the same. It was like a mine field. He would hold his chakra underneath the ground in the circular formation, since that was all fire would do, encircling, spreading out as the air pushed it every which way and if someone stepped over to a certain space – BAM! It kept enemies away from his body and also attacked them. It was more of a starter move to hit those that preferred close ranged fights.

Lightning chakra manipulation was used for offence and healing. The stalker cloud above her would strike out various bolts of energy as she directed it. However, the control of it was hard to handle for her. She had too much power and not enough control so that she randomly healed Naruto when he was going on the offensive for her to get better leverage of it when in battle simulation.

She had admitted to Naruto how much it pissed her off as it made her feel useless. If she couldn't control it, why bother having it? He now also knew that he'd go through the same thing when it came to lack of control. When he asked for a detailed answer of how it felt, she gave an analogy.

'_It's like trying to put a plug in a plug hole and finding that the plug was waaay too small. And then when you train for control and get a bigger plug that plug hole just gets fucking bigger._' She had gripped, falling into the water again as they commenced water walking.

He found that the other manipulation of their demon elements was one Richochet had already conquered. Those that touch you get burned or electrocuted. It was rather like Gaara's sand as a defence though they had full control over it since it was instinct.

Wind was simple enough. Naruto even got it before her, proving he was more proficient at the element. You had to compress the chakra in a slicing motion. The point that got them was the fact they had to control two chakra and slice together and sharp and thin and powerful as possible. Kind of like two blades were better than one. They got that real quick seeing as Richochet decided to go off and train with the blades she stole from that Raiga dude with the kid.

Talking of 'kids'…

Naruto looked away from the moon and at the village to look back into the room.

Next to Richochet was a new accomplice of six years of age, cuddling up to the once Jinchuuriki. It was amusing to see children actually liking the girl while random animals stayed well away – apart from weasels and foxes of course.

But this kid wouldn't let go of her if she let it continue.

Not only that, the kid was related to – no joke – Jiraiya _and_ Tsunade.

Small world, huh?

It was like a cousin of each met and had kids and then those kids had a kid and now this kid was a grandson or something like that.

Not only that, the brat seemed to prefer women over men to cuddle to… Yep, as Jiraiya as you could get. He had the same soft blonde hair as Tsunade, which seemed to be a genetic trait of some sort, yet he had lime green eyes that neither of the two had.

Another extra thing that creeped out Jiraiya and Naruto was the red dots on his brow. Apparently, the clan this kid came from was the Kaguya Clan which was supposed to be extinct. Richochet had pointed out that the Seishou line was supposed to have mysteriously disappeared and had none left, so what was so bad about finding a new member of an 'extinct' line?

Jiraiya went on to say how it was likely there was still even Uchiha about with little Uchiha blood in them because of exiled or banished or runaway members who did one thing or another and that led to more offspring in other places.

Naruto wondered what Sasuke would think of that.

They'd found him homeless in a forest, unconscious. Naruto had demanded they take him along and he'd stuck the kid with his arrogant female companion.

The blonde grinned at her as she slept.

It was a way to get revenge on her for not doing her chores.

Then again, he really had to wonder about the lack of self preservation instincts these children had.

Kyuubi snorted from within his mind. '**EACH OF YOU HAS A CERTAIN IMPRESSION ON THE RACE OF HUMANITY. CHILDREN OR THOSE YOUNGER THAN HER LIKE HER MOST WHILE ADULTS DON'T WANT TO GO NEAR HER. MOST PEOPLE LIKE YOU OR JUST PLAIN IGNORE YOU ALTOGETHER…**'

'_And…?_'

'**THERE IS NO AND.**'

'_But it seems as if… Ah nevermind!_'

Kyuubi smirked. '_**HE'S GETTING SMARTER.**_' She thought with a hint of pride.

Naruto walked boredly back over to his bed. He'd do some more training as soon as he got to sleep. Slipping in, he looked once more at Richochet and Kaguya Kino before drifting off.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Oh come on, Boss! Where the fuck is that scroll?!" Richochet pointed at him threateningly and then turned away to search for the simple scroll that could solve her self appointed problem. "I'm so god damn fucking close…"

Boss merely laid on his front and watched her with a bored smirk. "Didn' cha 'ut it on tha other side, Jou-chan?" His cockney English accent reminded her of the servants of some old English family. She was half expecting 'Milady' from him at one point or another.

Richochet snapped her head to the right and felt her eyebrow twitch when she saw the lone scroll. It mocked her with the bright white against the dark grey of the stone cave they were in. '_I'm a freaking idiot._'

Snatching it up she looked at her notes and skewered the page with her eyes intently reading over it. She had written this up herself, stuffing notes along the sides of different detailed pictures she had carefully drawn. She was pretty proud of her artwork, despite it not being a talent. She'd taken her time, and it proved invaluable.

The largest picture was of a slightly mutated swastika.

Or rather.

The Hyuuga Curse Mark.

Initially the seal had three main components to this small, simple but incredibly succinct seal. There was the main cross that was the centre piece to keeping it all together. All seals had this main part, though most of them were smaller so they'd be harder to find and harder to break. Hyuuga were arrogant though, and it was a very old and very used seal too and there probably hadn't been much work back then on seals either. She'd have to break it from there to take it off.

Then there were the two chains on each side. The left caused the body pain while the right would kill everything to do with the Byakugan and any other secrets the body blessed the person with.

She sure as hell wasn't any where near seal master in level, but this was actually pretty simplistic for a seal. Take for instance Naruto's own seal. That thing had so many layers to it… it was unbelievable. Yondaime was purely genius when it came to seals. Hers wasn't as advanced but it sure as heck was harder to figure out than the Hyuuga one, that's for sure.

Though there were some things she'd have to take it when dealing with the Mark. There were tons of things to consider with it. Would it kill him if she tried to take it off? Would it react immediately to her potent demonic chakra? Which way would it react?

"Listen Jou-Chan, you've been working on tha' thing for months." Boss yawned loudly, rocking the world they were in for a few short moments. "I thin' tha chu should step back and take a bigger look. Maybe it's just a case of flinging yer energy in ta it?"

Richochet grimaced. "That would kill anyone not demonic when it comes to seals. I have to purify the chakra before hand by painting several seals onto his forehead and ruining his looks even more. And it could kill me if I do so since they purify. With me everything is fifty-fifty because of my battling bloods. It's freaking hard and annoying being me ya know." She grimaced. "I mean you know. Shit… I'm sounding like you."

"Wha's wrong wit' tha' way I speak?"

"…Nothing. Speak however you desire." Richochet said dismissively, turning back to her scroll. Then she muttered. "It's pissing me off though. Both of these things…"

Boss yawned once more as he drifted off. "I'm getting' tired…"

Richochet looked to him and cocked her head thoughtfully. "Hey boss, can seals ever get tired, you know, wear out?"

"Sure they do... As long as tha chakra goes some place from tha seal… Chakra jus' converts… it don't get created… like yer energy from physics lessons… Boring crap…" He smirked in his weasel way before finally falling asleep.

Richochet hummed to herself for a second as she thought. "It's not that I need to _break_ the seal… but wear it down and tire it out?" She leaned against the cold stone wall. "Or maybe I should just push its energy out and put my own energy there? Like those reactive metals… If any other normal blue chakra tried to break it the Hyuuga and the breaker would probably both die but since I have stronger energy I would replace it… Damn these sciences are irritatingly needed… I knew I should've listened harder instead of just cheating."

Richochet might not have been good at her lessons, but it pissed her off to know that school actually kind of helped her.

"Not only would the seal be void from the Hyuuga's but I could kill him." Richochet smirked delighted she could control it and kill him. "Though…I gave him that necklace that gives him the right to do with my heart as he will… I guess this just evens the odds a little. I could hurt him if he ever pisses me off…" She snickered. "This could be good."

She stood up and went over to her shelf and took some ink and a quick and sat down once more. With the scroll in front of her, she quickly scribbled down her findings in English since it was easier for her to read over the Japanese language on paper. She frowned at that thought and looked to Boss before snorting and carrying on in her slanted italic writing that was a bit more than scruffy looking though still cohesive and coherent to decode.

'_Like a weasel could help me in writing with those claws._' She thought in disdain for the weird weasel Boss. '_He'd screw up my hard work._'

Stopping her writing, she went to the other way she thought of. Wearing down a seal. Could she, instead of taking her own energy and infiltrating his own system, take his out to wear down the… No. It was highly likely the Hyuuga Main would know instantly when it happened. After all, branch members must have tried such tactics in the past. Still, since she didn't know, it was worth a try.

Though she immensely preferred the former option she had found.

It would prove far more beneficial. They sway of being able to break them would hold certain 'power' over them. Then again, they'd probably find some law to execute her or something because of trying to 'steal' the Byakugan.

Richochet snorted.

As if she needed it.

She had her own Kazangan instead of that.

Though she was jealous of the three-sixty viewing power it had. She often wondered how these bloodlines could change so dramatically from all seeing to just copying. It would be grand to find out the truth of how it went from Kazangan to Byakugan to Sharingan instead of just second guessing everything.

Shaking her head she wrote down more notes of her theories and what she had concluded with the small amount of knowledge she had on seals and how to break them.

Or how about sealing a seal?

Well, it could work. Just that her seal would have to screw up the looks of the Hyuuga by painting all over their forehead. She was sure they wouldn't appreciate it being vain, which they must have acquired because her own family was vain. Yes, even she took a couple seconds to make sure she looked good by checking herself over before entering a room.

Piss off, she was female.

She had a _right_ to do so.

Anyone did actually.

Richochet pinched her knee to block these thoughts. Ever since she had been around Jiraiya and his mumbling to himself in his sleep as well as to himself when he was writing… Ugh.

She'd blame others because their habits were always there and she picked up on them unconsciously and unwittingly.

She frowned.

Maybe she should keep a better leash on that old Sannin more?

Yeah.

It could be for the best.

Talking of Jiraiya, he knew some things of seals. He could be able to help her.

She wrinkled her nose in distaste.

There was no way she was asking him for help.

She got it all down anyway.

And it only took…

Six months…

She scowled and flung the quill down, crossing her arms in impatience. "Ah shit, I'm so god damned slow… And it took me a fucking lump of a fat weasel to find out because he was so damn _lazy…_And even that was a stroke of luck…"

Boss snored loudly, making her twitch.

She glared at him before looking down at her scroll. "At least I got something done. Jiraiya's shit at teaching."

It was true. The old man simply gave them a scroll filled with various jutsu's, but no more than five, some strange katas at their weapons and then took off for a month before coming back to check in on them for a week, that bastard. Yes, Richochet was learning to use those two swords from Raiga and Naruto had decided to learn the nunchuks since he found whacking someone to death absolutely hilarious.

That was so not her influence.

…

Well, maybe just a little.

Anywho, some people came to teach them proper stances and such while giving handy little jutsu's to keep the weapons to their best. It was hard when these damn sensei asked for the freaking best they could do when one was a half demon trying to hold off her instincts to teach these damn humans not to mess with her and the other was a hyperactive idiot at times that demanded constant attention.

Still, at least they got good enough teachers…

With the jutsu's Jiraiya left, Naruto and Richochet got them nearly instantly, apart from the Earth Jutsu for Richochet which Richochet didn't bother trying to use after the backlash of energy at one small wall of earth technique. She couldn't move for a day after that.

Nor could Naruto after passing out from _uncertain events_ when laughing at her by calling her a 'mudman' instead of a snowman.

Wonder how that happened.

Richochet smirked and stood up with her scroll.

Neji better be damn happy or at least pleased. If her theories were right, he'd still have the mark, but not the curse. Well, it was still one heck of a tattoo, so why not be happy about it?

She twitched.

He BETTER be happy about it. This had taken far too long to write down properly, with detailed theories and diagrams of the Mark and how she could perform the taking of the energy and forming it to her own… Yes, far too long. She wasn't that good of an author either. Her notes weren't flowing from one to the other, more like it was thrown in hazardously making it hard for anyone unused to her ways to comprehend.

Richochet walked over to Boss, and kicked him none too lightly in the paw.

Boss yelped before noticing her and blinked at her sleepily. "Yah, milady?"

"Take me back, would you?"

"Sure, milady." Boss placed his paw on her head and she felt herself freefalling into a dark abyss. "'Ave a good day, yeah."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Chet-dono!"

Richochet grimaced as the Kaguya clan boy jumped up and attached himself to her shoulders. The half breed sighed as he snuggled into her neck and sighed happily, making himself comfortable.

"Ah, whadaya want, brat?" She grumbled to him, eyeing him warily and mentally tired. "I just got back."

"I just missed you."

Naruto grinned at her with a wink in welcome and she winked back with a small smirk.

"So did you do it? Did you? Did you?" Kino asked, eyes staring up at her in wonder. His eyes dropped to her hand which held a worn and used scroll and looked back up to her in question. "Is that the scroll?"

Richochet smirked in triumph.

"It is! That's so great!" Jiraiya clapped her on the shoulder and gave her a noogie, much to her displeasure, as he hit her weasel spot once. "I'm so proud of youuu!"

Richochet looked away in embarrassment as he started acting like a Grandfather figure. "Oh by oath…" She swore as Naruto hugged her on top of Kino much to the five and a half nearly six year old's consternation. "Would you get off of me?! All of you jerks! You _trying_ to suffocate me or something?!"

They moved away with pouts, including the fifty plus old man.

"Bunch of babies…" She muttered loudly, and snickered when all three of the males protested loudly, ego being kicked down. "Ah, you're so loud! What's up with that?"

"We're not that loud, Richochet-dono." Kino pouted again and sat on her lap as if he were on a throne. She gave him a look that said 'get the hell off me or else' and he smiled back at her innocently. "Well you ARE comfy…"

Richochet sighed again, wondering when she'd become so soft like her sister.

She blamed the inhabitants of Konohagakure.

Damn those ninja.

A smirk hit her lips. They were rubbing off on her.

"Jeeze. You people are so lucky I'm here to keep you in line."

They just grinned.

"Boys." She smirked. "What would you do without me?"

"Get on much better, I assure you." Jiraiya grinned and dodged a bolt of lightning. "Girl, you'll give an old man a heart attack!"

"Good. You damn old codger."

Naruto and Kino grinned at each other.

"Blight of youth!"

"I think I like this, Naruto-dono." Kino said thoughtfully and Naruto strung an arm around the boys' shoulders.

"You sound like that freak Maito Gai! You probably even wear that crazy green lycra for shits and kicks!"

"WHAT?!"

"Yup! It's great, Dattebayo!"

"Haha! Gai worshipper!"

"I'M NOT!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"_Don't be stupid. I've never heard of this Shoko. You insist upon being oblivious."_

_The old man stared down upon her, and the eleven year old screwed up her face in confusion. "What…? What? What do you mean you haven't heard of my sister?!"_

_He sighed wearily, hating to put up with this little disaster. "Must you insist on spreading such falsities, Toko - Richochet? I have never had anyone from my family named Shoko and especially not by me."_

"_You named me Toko and her Shoko!"_

_The old man ran a hand over his vindictive features, tiresome. He leaned back in his chair as if he were royalty putting up with a grown out novelty. "Why isn't that blasted psychologist working?"_

"_Why do you say she isn't real?!" Richochet screamed, rage piercing her now bright orange eyes and her fists clenched the large baggy dark red jumper. Her knees were knocking together with fear at speaking to her Grandfather in such a way unconsciously. Her body was shaking in her steel boots._

"_SHUT UP!" The old man roared, standing up, his clean sharp suit of black with white pin strips a complete one eight from her dirty, bloodied fighters outfit._

_She stiffened, childhood fear gripping her completely. A shiver ran down her spine, absolute terror overtaking her eyes and her black pupils dilated. Biting her lower lip, the small yet freakish girl listened on, gulping as he gave a step nearer to her personal space._

"_YOU WORTHLESS-" He paused and stared at her._

_Richochet was frowning._

"_What are you…" Grandfather began but then halted. "Just…"_

"_I don't get it." She whispered. "Didn't I need her? Why did she leave me behind?"_

_Grandfather scoffed. "Why did you father leave you to go back to Japan? Everyone leaves other behind for themselves. This world is cruel and spiteful, so you should be just as spiteful and cruel back."_

_Richochet cocked her head to the side. "Really?"_

_He just smiled mockingly._

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet sat up, gasping for breath, a cold sweat over her. Of all days to have that dream, why this one? Why this night? Why this dream? She crawled out from between fifteen and a half year old Naruto and seven and a half Kino to sit next to a window.

Her heart beat rapidly, a bird in a cage.

She shivered once again took a deep breath before expelling it slowly through her nose to calm herself. What was the date? What month was it? She honestly hadn't bothered remembering. It was insignificant to her.

Looking over the small town that apparently, Naruto and Jiraiya had found Tsunade in, she spotted a shop that had closed down that date and spied the closing date it had on a banner.

'_Closing! 2__nd__ May!_'

No wonder. Death Date. Shit.

Kino shifted, frowning in his sleep and curling into himself more, making her turn to him quietly and try to forget her previous thoughts. She gave a small smile in the darkness where no one could see her, peering at her two favourite boys.

Pain violently slammed into her chest and she gripped the slicingly painful place her heart was, beating over time and her mind went into panic, not comprehending why there was pain from nothing. Blood gurgled from her throat and she coughed loudly, great hacking choking coughs that sent her body shaking after each cough.

The half blood feel to the floor with a huge slam, instantly awaking the two whom she had tried not to awaken earlier absently. They peered around dazedly for a moment of misunderstanding, but Naruto snapped out of it fast, Kino not too shortly after.

"Richochet!" Twin voices chimed loudly, yelling at the top of their voices.

Light hair entered her vision in a snap, the tint of red she saw surrounding him identified him as Naruto. That and his distinctive smell of faded ramen were dead giveaways.

"Neji…" She huffed out weakly. Her mind was abuzz with identifying her problem.

"Kino!" Naruto called and the boy snapped over in a moment. "Give her a check over and recover her! Now, damnit!"

He shyly nodded and gulped, hands glowing green. He was found to be quickly able to pick up chakra signals and was a great medic nin at a young age. The two half-demons of Konoha had quickly bought books for him to read on the subject and was now their official medic, being a genius. The boy frowned as he checked her body over.

"Richochet-dono's heart is sliced at the bottom right chamber and is not healing at the usual rate. I will fix her, but I need your energy to convert into me, Naruto-dono." Kino said, his child like voice formal as always.

He nodded, trying not to rip something apart at the sight of her in such pain. The last time he'd seen her in such a way was when they had breeched their demonic forms. Of course, he was in worse a state, not used to the demonic mind he had.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"_**ROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!**__" The scream ripped through the lands in the form of a bestial cry of pain. _

_Red._

_Fire._

_Destruction._

_Hunger._

_Naruto's mind was ripping with the mind of a demon purging him of his human ability to see reason and he plunged into the black sewers of his mind welcomingly._

"**WILL YOU DO THEIR BIDDING? LET IT BE KNOWN, YOU ARE DESTROYING THE OUTSIDE WORLD WHILE RICHOCHET IS SUBDUING YOU MAGNIFICENTLY.**_" Kyuubi spoke out dominatingly._

_Naruto gawped at the ball of power and knowledge and the sheer size of it._

"_Why didn't Richochet get this first? She's older than me!" Naruto shouted. "It was her idea!"_

"**WHICH IS WHY SHE HAD THE CHANCE!**_"_

_The blonde frowned. "What did she reply?"_

"**THAT DOES NOT MATTER! CHOOSE!**_"_

'_Can I do this? Is it really alright for someone like me to do this? Isn't there better choices? What have I done to deserve this? Is it a curse or a blessing? Do they want me to give up everything I have just for them? Am I able to place jurisdiction over people you don't know? Should I really do this?'_

'_**WHO ELSE IS CAPABLE ENOUGH? WHO ELSE HAS THAT TREMENDOUS ABILITY TO GIVE FRIENDSHIP TO ALL? WHO ELSE HAS THE ABILITY TO do what you do?**__'_

_Naruto felt something like an arm over his shoulder and turned to see a fuzzy image of Richochet smirking at him. A hand lightly held his hand and he peered down at Hinata. Someone mussed his hair up and he looked back to see Kakashi and Jiraiya and Tsunade. Someone grunted and he looked in front to see Sasuke first, and then the rookie nine in front of him. He spied Gaara next to Richochet._

'_**You have to… you have to let them keep their strength and keep them on the right path.**__'_

"_But Sasuke-!"_

'_**Is not the one who needs you most… not yet.**__'_

_The hologram of everyone disappeared until Richochet and Gaara stood in front of him, giving their own versions of a smile._

_Naruto reached to them but couldn't reach. His eyes widened in shop and he kept on moving to them, sprinting._

'_**To protect and to make friends are your basic functions… It's why… You are given the chance.**__'_

_Naruto growled. "Give them to me! I need them! I'll be your balance! Just… GIVE them to ME! I'll do it for them!" Naruto screamed out as them ball slammed into him, screaming in pain and happiness as it washed over him like a tidal wave._

_A smile tilted his lips at the thought of them._

_So, it's your turn is it?_

_Chuckle._

'_Who're you?'_

_Puzzled._

_Not the same person who talked to your companion demoness._

_Smile._

'_Okay, 'ttebayo. That's cool I guess. What now?'_

_Hum._

_You're friend was far more curious than you._

_Blink._

'_Really? Weird. She's not like that outside this place.'_

_Shrug._

_This place shows you your inner you._

_Nod._

'_That's awesome! What are we like?'_

_Chortle._

_You are both pleasant and both looking for the good in you when it is very clear already._

_Frown._

'_What is clear?'_

_Sigh._

_You don't see it do you? The friendship you give out like a beacon?_

_Laugh._

'_Huh? Me friendship? I'm just a loud mouth who demands stuff a lot.'_

_Another hum._

_Maybe that's a good thing… now we wait for the last._

_Confusion._

'_Eh?'_

_A smile again._

_The first, the sixth and the ninth._

'_What happened to the third?'_

_Chuckle._

_There's three of you isn't there?_

_Realisation._

'_Oh yeah! Now what?'_

_You protect and make friends. Just be as you always are._

_Disbelief._

'_That it? Well okay. Hey, who are you?'_

_Namikaze Minato. Your dad. _

_Anger._

'_DATTEBAYO?! Give me one reason I shouldn't come right on over and beat the living shit outta ya!'_

_Amusement._

_For one you couldn't find me._

_Rage._

'_ARSEHOLE!'_

_Guffaws._

_The main one? _

_Huff._

'_I'm waiting!'_

_Smile._

_Konohagakure._

_The blue eyes of oceans snapped awake to see Richochet snarling at him in her natural form, the size of a huge mountain as storms whirled above them threateningly, beams of lightning sparkling around them, making him yelp, and stumbled back. Six tails electrocuted everything they touched and he shivered in fear._

_Nine tails helped him keep his balance in check and paws with claws stretched out made for shredding dug into the earth. He bowed his head in submission and the Raijuu no Rokubi stilled and nodded in acceptance._

_Naruto peered around and whined sorrowfully. The local three towns had been absolutely demolished in the face of two fighting demons. With extreme effort, he shrunk into his humanoid form, tails swirling around his naked legs in nine beautiful trailing blazes of fire. He shivered and then felt around his neck._

_A line of scarlet fur, identical to Richochet with the chains and heart in a sphere had settled on his torso as if it were always there. He didn't feel a difference, but he felt a lot more warm and stable than he had before. He stared down at the glimmering bauble that held his literal heart of emotions and fingered the keyhole. Two other necklaces where there. One held the jewels that could buy three mountains, and the other was a golden key._

_He stared at them for a moment before Richochet interrupted. _

"_You're now… like me." She ran a hand through duel coloured hair, naked as well, six bolts zapping behind her. "Your hair grew longer. You look like that guy with his face on the mountain."_

"_EH?!" Naruto quickly did three hands signs, and landed on tori, showing he was to do a water jutsu. "Mizutama no jutsu!" A small ball of water drifted up, looking like a small jewel before Naruto commanded it to lengthen. _

_His hair was exactly like Yondaime's own, except the ends were tinted red like his half of blood was in demon form. The middle of his eyes were molten red like hers were. It was scary how much he had changed but he didn't seem that different at all at the same time._

"_Richochet?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_Take us away from here." He said quietly._

_Richochet complied immediately. Grabbed him around the arm, and pulling him so he hugged her torso, head buried in her neck and shoulder, she performed the necessary hand signs. "Rai Shunkan Ido!"_

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He whimpered, pacing the floor agitatedly, hoping that it worked. Richochet was unconscious, on the futon she had slept on and she was pale from blood loss though her face was looking a bit better.

Or was that just hope?

Kino smiled at Naruto. "She is sleeping Naruto-dono. Don't fret. She will be fine."

Naruto grimaced.

Getting soothed by a kid.

Yeesh.

The boy brushed some hair from his forehead, two red dots appearing briefly before hiding once more behind some wisps of hair. "You worry for nothing. Though it is good you worry. It shows you care."

Naruto sighed and stared at him with blue sea eyes. "When'd you get so deep Kino?"

"From watching my favourite people in the world. You three. You are inspirational." He smiled gently, eyes softening even more, looking more worldly and adult like than even the old man Sarutobi had at times.

"Heh. You joker." Naruto smirked slightly. "We're not inspirational."

Kino smiled secretively.

Naruto sat down next to Richochet and held her hand, then lied down to keep her warm. Her hand was absolutely freezing from lack of blood, but with his heightened senses he could feel her gaining life by the second. She'd be up anytime soon.

Her eyes blearily opened.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"It's nearly time to go back right?"

He grinned foxily, giving her confidence.

"Yup, 'ttebayo!"

"Good. I'm thinking I'm starting to be needed by someone far too far from me for my liking." Her orange eyes glittered in the dark room that was being slowly lightened by the sunrise through the window. "It's… hard. Being away from my heart."

"Meh, me too." Naruto placed a hand to his chest. "I got Inari, the big summoning, to give my necklace to Hinata."

"I am… pleased for you."

She fell back asleep and Naruto sighed, feeling a touch better.

'_We're not inspirational, Kino. We just try to survive, is all. Now we don't have our demons in us to talk with, we need each other more than ever without the Hyuuga who hold our hearts around us._'

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Oooooh! How's ya like it? I don't think it was too bad, myself.

Once again, Happy Birthday to neko of Light! May all your dreams and hopes an wishes all come true! And all the stuff you get inside a card! Lol.

Please review!

Ten Words.

_Tongue-Twister. Report. Gifts. Certified Pervert. Letters. Tests. Betrayal. Forbidden._

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R.

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	27. Chapter XXVII

**I got this out early for you all. It was goign to be a week later but, whatever. I got it out quick since I didn't have much else to do and I like writing too much. Maybe I write because I get bored with real life and like messing with others? Who knows?**

_Hibiki-chan - Moogle In Paradaisu - Zero Asakura - Frozen Tempest - SilverMononoke - Joster13 - Sanya12 - Kimura Akira (x2 ch.25 & ch.26) - Depressing Truths - Neko of Light - Redtippedquill - -Asa-Hoshi- - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - -SoulMama- - Elewyn2007 - Blood Zephyr (x2 ch.25 & ch.26) - CatrinaCat45._

_Give yourself a hug from me! Onwards!_

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**Chapter Twenty Seven**

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Neji sighed in aggravation. She was on his mind again. Again! He leaned back in his chair, fiddling with a pen as he halted completing a report for an A-Class mission, having killed an assassin for a political puller.

An assassin assassinating an assassin.

What a tongue twister.

Tongue…

The time Richochet used a kiss to her advantage entered his mind.

"Damnit!"

He ran a hand through his longer hair, skimming over the bandage on his forehead with practice ease, a grunt coming from his lips. Grimacing, he noted he would have a shower after finishing off to wash the days harshness on his away. Yes, he definitely would, he was starting to stink as well.

He remembered Richochet not liking being dirty, if when Naruto taking a photograph when they were about to plough into each other roughly to practice their Gentle Fist and slamming face first into the ground and then, instead of smiting Naruto on the spot she went right on in was anything to say.

He looked down thoughtfully to the report, snapping out from his remembering and concentrating on his work. Now, how to finish it? He'd written how he'd first travelled safely, how far and where, then went on to saying how he'd then stayed one night after the murder and came back.

Of course, he wouldn't dare put in the absolute rage he felt when a shuriken had snipped part of the heart tattoo he'd received from said person on his mind. Or how he'd murdered the body a lot more brutally he would usually had done had he not felt the slice. Tortured more like it, since he'd kept the man alive during it.

Neji gulped some saliva down. He wasn't like that usually, but some animal instinct had demanded pain and retribution and he given with pleasure. It sent a shiver down his spine. Why a shiver? He had felt no guilt. He had tortured, maimed and finally killed the man down and had enjoyed it oh so delightfully.

And if the tattoo was _touched_ again let alone hit; He'd do it again.

For sure.

Shaking his head, he went back to his work. It was to the point, simple to read for a drunken Tsunade, and very much so quick, only going into detail when needed. This was probably why a Jounin his age went on so many missions and got a good higher than usual pay. Just because Tsunade hated dealing with long and seemingly pointless detail giving essays.

But how to put a personal touch now?

A smirk littered his lips sinfully. His pen touched the paper. _With ease I completed the mission, coming back two days earlier, just because I'm just that good._

Richochet would smack and scowl at him before smirking and shaking her head a small scoff exiting that somehow tempting mouth of hers. He put his hand to his face, closing his eyes and giving a huge sigh. Shit. How the hell did a scrawny little bitch like that become the obsession of a lifetime to him?

He was itching to touch her, his body heated and parts of him twitched, physically aching for her.

Fuck.

Now he really needed a shower.

What the hell did that demoness do to him? Surely it wasn't like this between couples normally? No, no it couldn't be. Tenten never acted like that for her current boyfriend, a Chuunin named Kibu or something. It was one of the mutt clan peoples. He had a dog that went bright red when fed pills, and that's all he could be bothered to remember.

How the hell they got together was beyond him. Still, Tenten was three quarters of a year younger than Lee and him. So maybe they met training somewhere, or in Tenten's family weapons shop. Ugh, who cares? He just knew that couples didn't feel like this.

Pining most likely – obsession definitely not.

Standing up, he rose to gather some bed clothes for his well deserved shower.

A bamph and poof of grey smoke and leaf and he turned to see Deidara standing, grinning at him. The newly made Jounin turned, male pale moon blue sleeping kimono slung over arm lazily, eyeing the blonde. Overtime he'd come to appreciate the insights to his social health and male health, but the blonde was just so… _girly_ sometimes.

Nothing wrong with that, but he wanted to talk to a full guy, not half of one.

And yes he was insulting him purposely.

"Hello, un!" Deidara greeted cheerfully, making the room turn slightly more upbeat and less tranquil. He swaggered over to the report checked it over and then paused. "You didn't sign it, un. Want me to stamp it for you, un? I'll deliver it, un. I just needed to drop by to give you these, un." The blue eyed male put down a bag in the style of a postman's one in beige.

"What is it?" Neji replied bluntly, not bothering to go over and check. Instead, he walked over to the bath connecting to his room and put on the shower. "It had _better_ not be another sex manual. You've given me a bunch on how to please woman _and_ men and different positions and how to get the best out of your money for toys. Not to mention the amount _of_ toys you've given me. I do _not_ like fluffy pink chakra prohibiting handcuffs. How many times need I repeat myself on that? You've given me enough pairs to open a shop, you freak."

Deidara was a certified pervert too. He just hid it behind a goofy, bubbly, loving outlook.

"Ahaha! The look on your face is priceless though, un! The photo's to your section in the book will be great, un!" Deidara said happily, beaming and taking in the glare Neji gave as the teen walked back in. "The bag, however, is up to you to look in, un. It's from our weasel demoness, un. Naruto sent stuff to Hinata even though it's your birthday today, un." Deidara gave a soft grin to him.

"Hmm…" Neji hadn't got anything for his birthday the previous year from her, and the huge bag seems to make up for it. Happiness bubbled in his stomach and he hid them, clenching a fist instead. "Interesting." He said monotonously, voice deeper than before they left for their three year training. "Thank you for passing it on."

"Sure thing, un." The now Anbu member grinned with a thumbs up before putting hands to hips absently. "It was given to me simply because I saw her on the way back, un."

"Where?" Neji replied quickly, staring at him intently.

A sigh emerged from Deidara's lips. "You know I can't tell you another persons mission details, Neji, un. Especially this one, un. And anyway, only Tsunade-sama knows where they are, and even then it's vague for even _her_, un."

Neji gave a growl but looked at the bag. "Fine. I'll look at it after I'm finished."

Deidara rolled his eyes and then put the Hyuuga stamp at the end of the report. Who was the guy kidding? He'd wait till he buggered off and then would go through the bag with hunger. He was pining for the girl, losing his softer edge to having a constantly bad mood and everyone but Neji had noticed it. Sealing it up, he put it in a hole in his hip pouch with the kunai and shuriken in a separate but joint compartment and gave a wink, poofing off again.

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Deidara reappeared and disappeared twice before finally getting where he needed to. 

Richochet looked up at him from a branch. "So?"

"Neji-kun was hiding his ecstatic feelings." He smirked and hugged her, kissing her on the cheek in a friendly way. "He's opening up the bag right now, un. I'll bet he's even forgetting his shower in favour of you."

She scoffed. "He better not. I don't want a stinky teacher to come back to."

Deidara laughed. "Me neither, un! Anyway, I must say, you have grown deliciously, un. You've got curves, un. Who would'a known scrawny bodies like your's and Hinata's would have grown such sweet lady lumps, un. So succulent, un."

"I suppose they are… _succulent_ as you say." Richochet looked at her body and then cocked her head at him. "You really are quite the pervert." She noted absently. "Hiashi had understood why I left, correct?"

"From what I heard he was a little ticked off, un. Obviously he wanted to get you two together, what with your eyes and bloodline, and when you went away, it was a little hard to match make you together, you know, un?" The blonde said, thinking back as he looked up.

"Yeah. And the Hyuuga children?"

"What do you think, un?" Deidara challenged. "Hinata hasn't had as much confidence as before with you two not around, which is a dire problem to me, un. Good thing I gave Hinata a gift and a letter from you two for her to have made a level up by the time you came back, un." He grinned at her, eyes twinkling. "It gave her a boost, un. In fact, every letter you have sent them, Hinata keeps, un. "

"That's good. I hope she also has been following what I said to see if she has anything like the Kazangan." Richochet smiled slightly before smirking at him and waving him away, jumping off the branch herself, walking off. "Piss off now, Deidara, in the nicest way possible, please."

Deidara chuckled trailing off to Konohagakure at a steady rate. He shook his head, pictures of them in his mind of how different they looked now compared to then. Some years really changed a person.

He thought back to their attitude and how it hadn't changed much.

'_Mainly._'

He chuckled again. "You two really have become something, un. I wonder what you'll do when you see each other, un? I have to make sure to have the camera ready, un!"

Richochet smirked, having heard him from a way off. "I wonder… but you forgot to mention that he smells absolutely delicious now compared to then. What _have_ you been doing to him?"

She looked away, swaggering along and looked up to the sky pausing a second.

"Don't hurt me."

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Neji stared at the bag's contents in his hands in confusion. A scroll he opened with his blood and couldn't read – for it was in another language – a whole set of clothes that were made of some sort of material he'd never felt before and several rare books on old fighting styles that hadn't been seen for decades like Wing Chun and Penchak Silat and ones he'd never heard of. 

Another couple books was on rare herbs for medicinal purposes and eating purposes and another was an ancient tome. The ancient tomb was on the history of how each Country came to be and also had the law section applicable to Countries and powerful Clans. His, notably. This tome was worth several million and he feared on how the weasel got her poison clawed paws on it.

Who'd she kill for it?

Shaking his head, he looked at the letter. It was in a language he could read thankfully. Though it was rather scraggily. He'd have to give her some damn lessons on writing, that's for sure. These characters were abysmal. Clearly she'd been working on her skills as a ninja instead of writing.

_Neji-eji,_

_This is given to you via Deidara because of the distance we are now at. If you tried, you'd probably find me, but by the time it's given to you, we three would be away from you where Akatsuki couldn't find us let alone you. _

_Ha._

He twitched.

_Anyway, digressing to the point these are your birthday gifts. The first year would be the books, the second year the outfit and the third year yet to come would be the scroll. Of all the important gifts to you, the most imperative would be the scroll. It alone holds something I know you would want above all else._

_When I get back, we'll talk on it._

_Back to the gifts though, the books are something I know you'd find incredibly attention-grabbing and out of the ordinary. Naruto and I were taught Wing Chun from Jiraiya, so naturally, with our Kage Bunshin technique and hundreds used every day, we mastered it within a year, though little things here and there pissed us off. I'll teach you it since it also involves close range and is not much different from our Gentle Fist. You'll get it in no time. _

_Maybe._

_The outfit was designed for you personally by a contact I've gathered. Don't ask, I'll explain some other time on that. It's demon fur, Neji. Mine. And damn did that skinning hurt. You pull a tuft of fur out and it immediately grows back as if getting slashed out of. Ugh. _

_You won't hurt when you get electrocuted if wearing it. It also powers up your chakra for extra strength in attacks when you focus on it and thread some chakra into it. On the downside, it needs extra care, cleaning and charging after using it when I'm not around. _

_Look after it and it'll look after you basically._

He stared at the letter before feeling the silky texture. This was from her demon forms' fur? Why wasn't it yellow then? How did she get it white and black like that? He went back to the sheet of paper. It was nearly finished.

_Don't let anyone else know. In fact, burn this after you've read it. That would be best, to both of us._

Something was obviously threatening her. Someone was _threatening_ her! How dare they?! Only he could damn well threaten her! He dropped the letter as his chest clenched tightly and he could feel his blood pump quicker through his body, marble like muscles tensing. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath in.

Hold seven. Exhaling through his nose, he punched a wall, uncaring for the hole leftover or the mini earthquake he practically made through the building.

Making sure not to scrunch the paper accidentally as he picked it up, Neji brushed off some random fluff with a stray finger and went back down to the bottom of the page to where he was last.

_On a calmer level, you better have gotten _at least_ to Chuunin, because trust me, I've gotten well past that, since I am just that good and all. You know the drill. _

_Still, this will be the only letter you get from me on this trip until I get back._

His stomach tipped over at her words.

A whole year to go

Neji wanted her back now.

"Shit." He ran a hand over his face, eyes not leaving the paper at all. "I want her back. I actually want someone to not leave me." The only person he had never wanted to leave him was his mother. And she teased him a lot like Richochet did. Does. Richochet does.

Huh.

They say guys likes girls who are like their mother.

Crap! He did not have an Oedipus complex, damnit!

_Sucks I know. Since you miss so god damned much and all since I'm a rarity-_

Oh she was a _rarity_ all right.

-_ but try not to cry yourself to sleep at night. Or dream about me._

Neji coloured minutely.

Too late.

_Really though. I must apologize to you for possibly the only time in your life. I've bound you to me for life. So for that I am sorry. You won't get the chance to personally choose your bride or to have your family decide who you will go with. _

_Even if they do, I'll steal you away. _

_You are mine now. I am yours now. _

_And there is no reversal, even if we wanted it._

_I know I don't._

…

…

…

_Je rêve de vous. Je besoin vous. Je vous veux._

…_Toko. _

Neji frowned at the odd language again. Just how many languages did she know? He quickly checked the scroll. They appeared the same, but he had a funny feeling they were different languages. Maybe she just knew some words in this language?

Likely. Richochet was the type to push something aside if it didn't concern her. He scoffed in amusement.

Didn't Rakuin know English?

Maybe he knew this language as well?

He was a decent Lord over his village.

Lord.

Lord Toko.

Toko.

That was her actual name. A boy's name? He frowned as the name struck something in him. He was sure he'd heard a rumour of a 'Lord Toko' becoming something of a big hit down the underground routes and gaining mass supporters because of his power and generosity. It couldn't be could it?

Neji groaned and put a hand to cover his face.

She would.

And she'd damn well laugh at him.

His eyes peeped through his fingers to look at the last word on the paper. "When will you stop causing trouble for me, Richochet?"

Maybe he should have fallen completely for Tenten after all, then.

She was far more reliable and dependable.

But he wasn't looking for gentle and fun in the end.

Wicked and brash with strength won over gentle and fun with kindness.

What the hell was wrong with him?

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"Brilliant Sakura!" Tsunade hugged the pink, short haired mid-teen happily. Across the field there were plenty of huge holes scattered, but the one they were currently in topped them all by at least a good hundred metres or so. 

She beamed. "Not too shabby, huh?" She grinned and hugged the woman back tightly. Well, as tightly as she could. Those overgrown watermelons sure got in the way. "I can't believe I finally did it!"

Tsunade pulled back to see the flushed but pleased face of her student. "I'm proud of you, kid."

Sakura smiled just that bit bigger.

"Now we go on to the medical test!"

The jade eyed beauty groaned.

"I thought it was tomorrow?"

"That's theory."

"Aw, what?! You're kidding me!"

"Nope." Tsunade smirked. "There's no way I'm letting you drag behind the other three with my other team mates. Nooo way. You're the smartest amongst the lot of you and also you have the best chakra control."

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Could they learn it too?"

"Only Naruto would be able to have the inhuman strength because he has a heck load of chakra via Kyuubi. Richochet might because of her lightning if she has enough control to convert it to chakra in an instant and then... Nah, I don't think so. Earth is weak against it and so is the human body. So lightning is just as good as that strength. Don't feel saddened, this is their talents. They couldn't challenge your medical either and the medical side makes you worth more than them. You can save lives, and not just take."

Sakura nodded in understanding. She took off her special gloves and tucked them into a side pouch, zipping it after. "It feels good to help heal people rather than just unarm them. This is better for me than just taking. I don't feel good when I do. But I will for Konohagakure." She added on for Tsunade's benefit.

The Hokage smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad. Do your best."

The fifteen year old nodded. "Nothing less is good enough."

"Onto the test!"

"Eh? Not even a break?!"

"Not for you!" Tsunade grinned and then a frown tilted her lips as Sakura asked the next question.

"Has Mizu been found?"

The blue black haired and neon green eyed female had gone missing some months ago. About a year or so after the two had left with Jiraiya she had been kidnapped by ones of Orochimaru's henchmen, them having been leaked some info on the genius girl who was the Ninjutsu and Genjutsu type.

"No."

"I don't understand why she was taken. No offence to Richochet but Richochet seems more…" Sakura trailed off.

Tsunade couldn't help but scoff in agreement, thinking of the arrogant girl with slight difficulty. She's only seen the girl a few times, but that was the kind of effect the girl gave off to her remembrance. "Too true."

"Any word from them?"

"Nada. It's like they've disappeared from the face of the Earth. No one in town has barely even noticed the lacking of bright orange. Which is beyond me how they can even do that." Tsunade said stalwartly. "I'd like to see the back of that fashion disaster. That girl better shape that boy up fashion wise. She did well with taking Jiraiya's look for Naruto, maybe she'll do more."

Sakura wondered why they had gotten onto the subject of fashion but shrugged. "It was better than usual. He looked crushable. If Hinata were to see him in those, she'd faint straight off."

"She has."

"Hm? When?"

"On a mission." Tsunade smiled as she remembered looking into the crystal ball and seeing the girls reaction. There had been a moment of pure emotion on her face that simply shouted 'ultimate crush' to anyone bothering to look. The other two hadn't noticed but the Chuunin certainly had and it was him who had snapped her out of it to hand them some passage notes.

"I should have taken a photo."

The Hokage smirked. "I got our Chuunin friend to take one as they left."

"Awesome. One for the book."

"That damn book again?" Tsunade looked back at her, moving out of the way of young children and nodding at some pedestrians. "How long is it going to go on for?"

"We're doing one for each person of the Genin's we've bumped into. Naruto does the older Genin. So that's Neji, Tenten, Richochet, Lee and sometimes Hinata since she's around them most. He does some of the others when the opportunity calls though. I do Team Kurenai, Team Asuma and Naruto and some places as well." Sakura answered, picking up a doll and handing it to a child, who smiled at her.

"Amazing."

"We do groups and sometimes mission groups." Sakura added on, counting off her fingers. "Sometimes other things, like Naruto's Ramen Shop and some training areas and shops. We're going to go on till the next Generation arrives. So about twenty something."

Tsunade raised a brow as the hospital came into sight. "That's a lot of photo's and paper. Who'll make them? You?"

"Naruto, actually. He's strangely enough could at making things with paper and glue." She replied, appraising the boy proudly with a smile. "It surprised me, but I figured that everyone had something they were good at. Naruto had an artistic flair. Should have known when he graphitized the Hokage Mountain."

"He did that? Tch. Brat." Tsunade shook her head with a small scowl. "And here we are!"

"Ugh. You sound too happy."

"I know you'll pass it. Right?"

"You make it sound as if I can't pass."

"You don't pass and I don't teach you anymore."

"Whaaa-?!"

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Naruto turned his head from sleepily laying down in a patch of dewy healthy grass. "Have fun?" 

"Deidara was just _the_ greatest person, as always." Richochet replied sarcastically and Naruto grinned at her, used to her wicked ways. She smirked at him and then sat down next to him, viewing the night sky. "Nah, he weren't too bad."

"Give the scroll over?"

"No it's still in my pocket." She rolled her eyes. "What do you think?"

He stuck his tongue out in reply. "I would have loved to see his face when he found it was in Eenjurishe."

"That's English, Whiskers." Richochet corrected him promptly. "I rather liked my first language. Don't trash it." She added promptly. "My memories of her are in that language alone."

Naruto stared at her for a second before having a serious face. "You've been dreaming a lot of your past."

"It's coming back to haunt me." She leaned back in her body and then finally flopped down to then ground staring at the ceiling of stars forlornly eyebrows drawing down sadly. Naruto grabbed her hand and squeezed.

"Yeah, literally."

"You know, it's odd how I've become so comfortable and nice to you." Richochet noted. "Only you. And Neji and Hinata and Deidara. Only you four have my loyalty. I care for no one else."

"You have my loyalty too. Demon oath." He winked foxily, sprouted ears of a fox momentarily, and let his whiskers form, bolder than ever. He twitched the ears – two pointed blazes of red chakra that seemed very real as fox ears – and she scoffed at him.

"Show off." The Lightning Mistress snickered.

The Fire Master grinned. "Only because I can and you do too."

She sniffed and then looked as if she didn't realise two bolts of electricity poured down from the stalker cloud and formed two rounded bulbs of electric chakra to create more detailed ears than Naruto's.

"Oh yeah, who's the show off now, eh, dattebayo?!" He poked her in jest and she elbowed him back before they lost their demonic looks to keep a nice silence between them. It was calm as they enjoyed the night.

These days, it was merely a passing moment to them. It seemed as if days were merely hours. Everything… was going so fast. It was very different to what they were used to. But the scary thing was that… they _were_ getting used to it. Their life was too slow now. The world moved so fast.

Too fast.

"Naruto…"

"Do… you regret this?"

Having read his companions thoughts he nodded. "Sometimes… I think I shouldn't have. But then I realize you need me and my friendship a lot more than other people do. When we go back to our Hyuuga's though, I fear it shall be a touch different."

"For both of us." Richochet acknowledged. "It will be." Her words were short. "You have greatly helped me. The fates have need of us. We have need of each other. Of our new mates."

Naruto sat up, pulling his knees up to his chest protectively. "I'm… anxious. I feel like it's too much sometimes."

Richochet looped a comforting feminine arm around his shoulders. "I can't offer any wise words, 'Ruto-boy. I'm not the type of person to offer comfort or shit. Hell, you know this already. But Naruto… you're kind. You're good. You are what they want."

His shoulders fell.

Richochet cocked her head. "You can take a break though. Relax. Read a book. I'm here with you and even though this mushy shit is pissing me off, we'll go with, you're thinking too much. Seriously. You think about it less and don't highlight up as really the worst god damned thing in the whole fucking universes, then it's fine. It's not as hard as you think. Really."

"Not that hard, right?" He asked, lifting his head questioningly. Hoping for confirmation. "Right, yeah?"

Richochet gave a smirk. "Yeah. I didn't think you were prone to worrisome moods. Now answer me. Are you even real?" She asked. "Or am I real or fake? Was Shoko real?"

He frowned and gave her a puzzled look, sitting up. "Of course I'm real!"

Richochet stared at him and then raised a hand to touch her cheek and then his marks gently, making him purr and calm down from his apprehensive state. He reached out to copy and she melted herself, warmth spreading from her cheek to circle her head and shoulders lovingly and sighed.

"How could I doubt?"

Naruto nudged her with a foot. "How could I?"

"We're idiots." She nudged back. "According to Jiraiya, we're teenagers, so we're automatically stupid when it comes to these things. Maybe we are in too deep with this stuff and we should worry, but maybe we aren't. Who the hell cares?"

Naruto chuckled and stood up, bringing the hand on his cheek with him so she also stood. "You come from another world, so I was kinda waiting for this for a while now. Or rather, I've been waiting since I've read your mind since we can't turn this off. Your memories are weird, 'ttebayo. We both know Shoko was real, right?"

"Yeah…"

"So _that's_ what matters. You had fun with her, and you cared for her, and don't give me that look at the word 'cared', and now you have us. Does it matter if…?"

"What…?" Richochet drawled out, staring up at the twinkling diamonds in the sky that demanded her attention. She joined up some stars she knew from Neji when they went on that V-day Picnic, as she called it. She'd known none before that, and could only remember the bigger ones since training had wiped everything out.

"So what if…" He paused and shook his head and gave that foxy grin as she turned to question him with a waiting face. "Ya know what?" He stated and slapped his knees, making her look at him from her precious stars.

"What…?" She drawled again out, though inwardly she was frustrated with his pause. She wanted to know what the hell he was about to speak about on this topic.

He punched her, sending her flying backwards into the river.

"VICIOUS NINJA TAG! YOU'RE IT!"

"What the fuck?! You piece of… SHIT!" Richochet snarled as she landed on top of the water, nursing a broken nose with a hand and swearing at him under her breath as sharp pains swam through her head. "You got lucky, you little biatch!"

She only heard his laughter on the wind, guiding her.

"Fucking little bastard… That actually hurt… KAZANGAN!" Eyes swirling fully like the commas of the Sharingan did in continuous circles, she took off, following the strongest trail of red demonic chakra ready to give him back ten times the pain. The eyes swirling was part of a mesmerising trick to pause the attacking enemy and that was when she attacked with flinging her chakra out and killing them.

Her mind was totally wiped of depressing thoughts.

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* * *

Jiraiya grinned at them. 

Blacks eyes?

_Check._

Bruises?

_Check_.

Scratches?

_Check_.

Broken bones?

_Healing._

Pleased Faces?

_**CHECK**_.

"Vicious ninja tag again, huh?" He shook his head. "You really need a new hobby. How about-"

"NO." Richochet said loudly, glaring at him and Naruto while Kino looked confused, unknowing – at that time - of the older mans disturbing profession. "Naruto, you do and I'll just have to write Hinata a letter…"

He glomped her. "I'll be good."

Kino giggled as the fifteen year old hugged her and let go swiftly.

"Good puppy."

Jiraiya sighed. "That's a shame."

Richochet grabbed Jiraiya's ear and tugged down.

"OW! OWOWOWOW!"

"I don't think those ideas are suited for a man of your title." She said promptly, nails slightly scratching his vulnerable neck, despite the heavy muscle lining it. He twitched, knowing that venom in her claws was deadly. Though her saliva did cure it. He gave a perverted grin, imagining this little beings slick tongue against his neck.

SMACK!

"I'LL STOP! I'LL _STOP_!!"

"Good puppy." She let go of his ear and pat him on the head.

"You'd definitely be the dominatrix type." He countered and dropping a scroll, poofed away in a small cloud of green healthy leaves.

Richochet growled. "That old codger…"

Kino blinked. "Um… Dominatrix type?"

"That kinky leather, whips and chain stuff, dattebayo!" Naruto filled in for him grinning and ruffling his honey blonde hair with a thumbs up. "It's pretty cool. But it's definitely what Richochet isn't!" He added on quickly as he saw the forming scowl.

"Oh…" Kino said thoughtfully before going over to his book again and flipping it open. "Ne, what's a hypo...tha…la…mus?"

Richochet looked over to him, loosing her scowl and said bluntly. "It's a part of your brain that controls the hormonal release. I think so at least. It's got something to do with hormones, that I know of."

Naruto snickered.

"What?"

"Hormones…" He snickered again.

Richochet and Kino looked at each other, shook their heads in pity and went back to their own work.

Scooping up the scroll on the floor, the weasel demoness nipped a thumb on a shuriken from her pouch, slid the shuriken away again and placed her blood on her side of the scroll. Naruto copied as she licked her thumb and noted the scratch had gone, smirking. They really weren't natural at all.

To her human mind it wasn't.

With Jiraiya's scrolls, they usually got to learn something pretty cool. It was a normally large scroll, coming up to about her waist from top to bottom length wise and had a design that each of the had to roll over with blood to open it. In fact, when Jiraiya closed them, even he couldn't enter them. The design was a sideways 'S' with Richochet doing the right half and Naruto the left and the blood had to be still wet or damp at least to open.

Naruto opened it up excitedly, like usual, and stared at the contents. "Hmm…" He ran a finger down the writing and diagrams. "Looks like, since we've got summonings –me; two, you; one-, element mastery –me; fire, you; lightning- , complete control over a weapon each, three styles – well, five for you since your knew three before this training – we get to learn some more forbidden jutsu."

"Brilliant." Richochet replied eagerly a small smirk on her face at the mention of it. "Let's see… There's three of them this time. We had five last time…" She gritted her teeth. "Is he running out of things to teach or something?"

Naruto shrugged in annoyance. The same thoughts were running through his head. "Maybe. We do eat them up like ramen and lemon pops." They paused just thinking of their delicious treats and sighed, knowing there wasn't any in reach.

Kino shook his head. "Chocolate is so much better…"

The two snapped their heads around at the small comment and glared at the boy who gulped and went back to his book. "Uh… Sorry!" He said meekly, reading on the points of the spine, currently in the lumbar section and the hitting points that would paralyse or kill.

The two demons nodded in satisfaction.

"Next."

"Okie dokie." Naruto tapped the number two and read out loud. "Memory creation no jutsu."

Richochet scrunched her nose up. "What the hells that?"

"It's where you create a memory in the persons mind of something. It's useful to pull on enemies who know you've gone one way and can push them to go the other way, warping their mind."

She raised a brow, scoffing. "And it's forbidden… why?"

"You loose a memory to replace one of yours and you can't choose which. Though it can be 'pushed' to repress and then forget a certain memory of an age you want. But that's only for those with really good chakra control and I.Q." Naruto read simply.

Richochet tried the hand signs – all twenty two of them. The signs flowed together and were easy after numerous times of using them compared to years ago, when she was first found lying on the rock pillow. "You read the next one." The jutsu hay-wired and she frowned. "More chakra maybe?"

"Body control no jutsu and how to break it without killing the person who is under the control, 'ttebayo." Naruto cocked his head. "Sounds useful… I think. But, there's only hand signs…"

Giving up for now, she decided to go on reading the scroll. "And then we have…" Richochet ran a hand down the paper. "Negativity no jutsu. Not fully recommended due to the halting of…" Her eyes widened in surprise. "…There's such a jutsu?"

Naruto looked and his eyes widened. He turned to her. "…Bloodlimits on both sides…"

"…" Richochet read him mind swiftly. "Itachi, huh?"

Naruto nodded, scowling at the paper. "…Yeah…"

"Very useful." The weasel demon said lightly, absently brushing some fluff from her clothing. She was wearing some of her own furred clothing, the traditional Hyuuga female clothing that buttoned on both sides of the top that had the sleeves falling to her knuckles. It had a silvery tint; just like the one she gave Neji.

On top of it, she wore a cloak with a hood that was black that was held by a lightning shaped silver medallion, to match the flowing black skirt trimmed with fishnet on top of her short shorts. It was long at the back, brushing her ankles, and stopped at upper thighs, showcasing her legs lovingly. On her feet was one peep-toe inch heels in black that she'd learnt to run in that had straps zig zagging up her legs to her knees, courtesy of Jiraiya.

Jiraiya had demanded her looking feminine and she had conceded easily, not caring about her appearance much. Her hair was still short to her chin but the line dividing her hair moved from the middle to her left, covering her creepy lava coloured right eye slightly. She figured it made her look more of a bitch with her smirk and sarcastic eyes, but he insisted it gave her a badass look that guys dug.

Or something like that.

She really couldn't care less as long as she didn't look like a hooker or something.

Naruto had gone with a longer strapped Konohagakure hitae-ate around his forehead, so the straps fell to his shoulder blades easily, his Yondaime style hair with red tinted ends effortlessly got around them to fall in his vision. His sea blue eyes also had red pupils that enhanced each other dramatically, so they also glowed in the dark.

Clothing wise, he was in a tight black vest that showed the delightful pec's and abs the boy had gained during training and loosely had on his usual Jiraiya style top, orange outside, dark blue inside. He wore the usual Jounin styled three quarter lengths in black the black outlines on his jacket and instead of the normal ninja sandals, he had on strong boots for better grip. It had dark orange tribal designs on the outside from the creator who made Richochet and Naruto's just to make him happy.

The creator of the clothing was a friend of 'Lord Toko' though the old man knew exactly who she was. In fact, it was Jiraiya who knew him first in a small village in Fire Country called, incidentally enough, Ramen City.

A city of ramen.

The other three had to drag him away from all the ramen stalls after they were done for their clothes. The old man named Seacuretu Mokuba was one of Jiraiya's secretkeepers. The man came from a family whose bloodline was to find out secrets in a snap. They couldn't help it, it just happened.

Mokuba owned a quiet little retreat in the suburban, market styled village that was a half clothing shop and half sweets shop. He was the best at what he did in the whole of the Fire Country. And, knowing her secrets, as well as Naruto's, he immediately welcomed them in, fascinated with them, making the two teens fidget uncomfortably.

He even asked to see them in their demon forms, much to their bewilderment.

Someone actually liking demons was beyond their imagining, and this old man pretty much demanding their attention with themselves being demons was just… just…

Creepy.

In a good way, if it were possible.

He didn't even look that old, maybe in his early sixties. Though he was surely pushing in his nineties if he were calling Jiraiya a young'en and them Chibi-bibi's.

What the hell a bibi's was, is beyond them, but he called them that. And they dealt with. Hey, he did know they were demons and he could do blackmail and stuff. Instead of blackmail, however, he made them clothing. They both received the clothing they had on, an outfit that looked like an Anbu styled one, a normal kimono as an outfit and a sleeping kimono.

Back to the present though.

Naruto and Richochet stared at the paper and looked at each other. "I'll do it faster than you!" The two exclaimed and then jumped away, staring each other down.

Kino, taking a momentary break from his interesting book, raised a hand and slammed it down. "Go!"

Tiger. Bird. Snake. Horse. …

"…What the hell comes next?!" Naruto shouted as Richochet scrunched up her features as she mentally kicked herself. "Damnit!"

Kino giggled and went to his book.

Teenagers were so stupid sometimes.

Kino paused. '_Or maybe it's just these two?_'

He looked at them, squabbling like siblings over the scroll.

'_Yeah, these two._' Kino sweatdropped, closing his lime green eyes and putting a hand to his head and then laughing.

Richochet and Naruto stared at the blonde.

"Kids. So weird."

This just made the child laugh harder.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Mizukage-sama!" An attendant burst in, a smile on his face. "Your girly-friend wrote you a letter." 

Rakuin blushed slightly at the teasing male. "…It's Hanabi-chan, Nye."

"She's your girlfriend, right?" Nye shrugged, brushing some smoky black hair from his face. He gave a teasing smile. "So what's the problem with me calling her that?"

The Ruling Ninja sighed. "Never mind. I can never change your mind. So stubborn."

"And you give up too easily when it comes to your friends. You're too nice. I hope your girly-friend, Hanabi-chan, appreciates you." Nye stuck his tongue out and put the letter on the table. Rakuin stared at it. "...So? You gonna read it or what?" He took in his Mizukage-sama's look and raised a matching smoky black brow away from his dark red orb.

"When you go away, I will."

"Aww! C'mon!"

"_Nye_…"

"Oh please! It's just a little letter!" Nye pouted, putting his hands in front of him, looking as if he were begging.

Rakuin gave him a look that told him he was crazy. "Get away from me."

"Oh, please!" Nye sighed. "I need some gossip about the Mizukage's mysterious girl named Hanabi! Your fangirl's are thinking she's made up so you won't have to turn them down harshly!"

"I have fangirls?" The Mizukage blinked blankly.

Nye gave the oblivious male a surprised and 'duh' look right on after.

"Uh, hello? You're younger than twenty, you're cute and I won't even say more on the looks front 'cause I'm a guy." He put his hands up defensively, carrying on. "You're the _Mizukage_ for God sakes. You're gonna have respect anyway. Not to mention the fact you kicked the old one with that kick-arse chick, speedy or something."

Rakuin raised a brow. "Richochet."

"That's it! _And_ you've got this place back on its feet." Nye concluded. "That's the best out of the lot I think. You're awesome. Be proud, man! You rock!"

Rakuin chuckled and gave some information back. "She's fourteen, a Hyuuga with a pretty strong bloodline, second heir, adorable, got a bit of an attitude, great with a Naginata and has just turned Chuunin with her sister, Hinata whose a couple years her senior. Hinata beat Hanabi. And… And are you writing this _down?_"

Nye chuckled sheepishly, putting his notepad and pen away.

Rakuin put a hand to his head. "Now… Shoo. I have papers to stamp, reports to review, and letters to read. I can't believe that Naruto kid wants to be Hokage…"

Nye smiled, slipping out. The Mizukage-sama really was a good person.

Rakuin smiled as he read the contents of his letter. It was short and sweet. Her writing was flawless, no mistakes, and the sloping writing was distinctly feminine.

_Dear, Rakuin._

_Father said I could visit if I am able to reach Chuunin and since I have, I will see you soon! I'll have to bring Neji along though. Ah well. He's been acting differently than usual for ages. Absent-minded, almost._

_He reached Jounin also at fifteen, so brilliant! I can't wait to be as good as him. He could have reached Anbu, but I don't think he wants to just yet. Or maybe he has to be Jounin for a certain amount of time?_

Rakuin nodded. In the country he was Mizukage over, they had a set time. You could jump from Chuunin to Anbu if you were distinctly special, but it was better to grow upwards and get to know people. Neji probably recognized that. He was a seriously smart guy.

_It won't be for a while though. I've tons of missions and Father is busy with the elders over something or other, like always. _

_Don't worry, it'll be sooner than you think._

_Hanabi. ___

_Ps; Father says he doesn't mind us as a couple if it ever came to that._

Rakuin sighed in relief at the post script she added on. He couldn't help it if he liked a girl could he? Jeeze. And the dad was even worse. Hyuuga daddy was even more protective these days.

'_Why have this child when you could have a woman?_'

This voice was really starting to irritate him these days. And he didn't even know her name.

'_Call me whatever you wish. Men usually scream out God when have my way with them. Call me Goddess._' She tempted. '_I'm Goddess from now on. No, no. That won't do. Mana. Yes, I might as well tell my real name. It's Mana, darling._'

'Yes, yes…' He said to her, as if she were a spoilt child.

'_Hmph, the other you is so much better._'

'There is no other me, Mana.' He said patiently to the being who existed in him.

'_Think what you will._'

Mana was so confusing sometimes. There was no other him. He had no twin anymore.

Rakuin had no other him, and that was it.

So who was she talking about?

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* * *

"Now Mizu… Information, please, my dear?" 

Mizu smiled up at Orochimaru, fakely.

"It is confirmed that, my female travelling companion, Seishou Richochet-"

"A Seishou?!" Orochimaru looked up from his reports from his Sound Nin. "An actual Seishou? Does she have the bloodline limit?"

Mizu, having barely any idea, nodded hesitantly at the intensity of those purple lidded golden eyes. "Y-Yes, Orochimaru-sama. I have heard talks of the eyes. Swirls."

Orochimaru smirked. '_Those eyes are even more handier than the wheels of Uchiha, I've heard. Though not as useful. The rumours also say of maturation after some years and not just situations like the Sharingan. After usage of Sasuke's body, I will take her under my wing. Seishou are known for coveting power and greed. She will be easy pickings._'

Mizu spoke up quietly. "My Lord Orochimaru? Richochet has both the power as a Lightning Mistress and has been trained by the Hyuuga genius, Neji, so has ways known in the Gentle Fist. Currently she is with Jiraiya, training under him with the Nine Tail Jinchuuriki. Uzumaki Naruto. That is all I have to report."

He nodded. "Go back to your quarters. You have done well, Mizu."

Mizu bowed low, backed three paces and then turned and exited inaudibly, a scowl painted on her face. As she sneered at the door, the clenched her fists and strode off.

Richochet was getting rather lucky despite her bad attitude.

This was bad news for her.

The girl walked down the corridor and into another room and stared at the main piece on show, mocking her.

Two huge, dove like wings were there. The wings at the bottom were starting to curl into themselves, dark with decay, some dead feathers falling off. Mizu sighed sadly, looking at them with grief in her eyes and sorrow on her face. She put a fisted hand up to her heart.

"Those wings… Someone has to do it soon!"

* * *

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* * *

My, my. This is definitely a plot one. And a surprise entry by Sakura, Tsunade, Mizu, Orochimaru and Rakuin. Hmm. Well, we see that out two hanyou are growing up and maturing from their childish sides. They're learning life.

Me, personally, I hate being a teenager. We're stuck between growing bodies and childish thoughts and we're accused of everything under the sun. Ah well. That's life.

And when I read the reviews (I didn't reply to everyone, sorry!) A lot of you wanetd to know about Neji's dreams. You want to know? Okay this is what you do. You go to any random teenage boy you know (quite well is better) and ask him about his, ah, 'wet' dreams. 'What do you dream in them?' There. Done. Now you know.

Lol!

Review, please!

Ten Word.

_Blame Jiraiya. Return. Longevity. Villages. Neji. Fight. Toots? Legs. Psychopathic._

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**R.**

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	28. Chapter XXVIII

**An extra long one for you all. Be happy! This should be over nine and a half thousand words. (Faints) My longest chapter ever so far.**

**Huggles (too tired for glomping and handing out virtual cookies) to...**

_Hibiki-chan - Zero Asakura - Gaara's Pyro RACCOON - Frozen Tempest - Moogle In Paradaisu - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Blood Zephyr - Neko of Light - Sanya12 - SilverMononoke - Lilmeika - Kimura Akira - Depressing Truth - Joster13 - .Psychotic.Enigma._

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**Chapter Twenty Eight**

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"Oi! Oi, wake up! Jou-chan!"

"Ugh…" Richochet groaned a little before blearily looking up. Screw being alert like a ninja, she got to bed late as heck and would wake up as a human. "…Whadaya want, old man? It's foockin…" She looked at the clock. "FOUR AM?! I HATE YOU! FOOCK OFF!" Of course, she would yell like a demon.

He laughed heartily.

"So mean!" He grabbed her and dragged her out, uncaring of her half naked state – she was like a granddaughter to him that he loved to argue with. "We need Lord Toko."

She snapped awake. "Why?"

"Is he on Konohagakure's side?"

Richochet scowled. "He's on Hyuuga Neji's, Uzumaki Naruto's, Hyuuga Hinata's, Deidara of Ex-Iwa's, maybe Sannin Jiraiya's and definitely my side alone. And what is he needed for? Why would he help you anyway?"

Jiraiya put her on her feet. He put a hand on her head. "I don't want Konoha to be too peaceful. It won't understand war. Sarutobi softened the place, but it is first and foremost a place to rear ninja and thus a ninja village. Lord Toko is merciless and stubborn once began in his way and is a powerful force to be reckoned with."

The scowl never left her face, but her eyes did give away that she was thinking. "Hmm…"

More convincing needed.

"People don't want where they live destroyed. And Toko's close people… are in Konohagakure."

"Lord Toko does as Lord Toko will. If asked when truly needed, Lord Toko will consider. Ask no more of him." Richochet turned her head away and crossed her arms, signalling 'this is final' to him.

Jiraiya sighed wearily. "I want to keep what I hold dear safe. Don't you? I'm getting on in years, girl. I'm not what I used to be. You two have become amazing beyond words. You are both _power_ because of what you are."

Richochet looked at him. "You will grow old."

"Yes."

"You will die."

"Yes."

"Naruto and I… never will grow old and probably never die. It's going to be nearly impossible to kill us very soon. If someone wants to kill us, it has to be sooner rather than later to get us down permanently. Then one day in some hundred years, we'll be so powerful, only one way will be around to kill us since we'd be so skilled by then."

Jiraiya blinked in surprise. "What… is that?"

Naruto stood next to her, solemn as she spoke up. "A broken heart."

"Jiraiya." Naruto said breathlessly, shivering. "We're scared." His eyes looked dead. "The thought of them going…" He gripped his chest, thinking of Hinata going.

"We'd kill all life on this planet and then join our Hyuuga's. We're that serious." The Lightning Mistress' eyes hardened and she snarled, fists clenching. "And we _**will**_! No one will stop us!"

"Even you, Jiraiya with the aid of Itachi, Tsunade, Orochimaru and every other strong being in the lands, couldn't stop us." Naruto stated and then grinned foxily. "Though, you'd give us a run for our money."

Richochet scoffed, and smirked at him. "For you, maybe… I'd beat them all down."

Jiraiya twitched. "I said I was old but… I'm exactly dead either, you know."

Richochet and Naruto grinned and chorused together.

"You're as good as, sensei Jiraiya!"

"YOU BRATS!" With a roar he charged them, making them yell in mock fear, pissing him off even more. "HOW DARE YOU?!"

"Easily!"

They mocked him further, splitting up into Kage Bunshin's.

"THAT'S IT! I'LL MURDER YOU IN A **TRAINING LESSON** AND SAY IT WAS AN _**ACCIDENT**_!!"

The blood and bones copy Naruto gasped sarcastically. "Murderer!" He put the back of his hand to forehead dramatically, as the blood and bones copy of Richochet Snickered, smirking down arrogantly at Jiraiya from their position on top of a hospital building and waving sardonically.

He fumed, face glowing red and blotches of purple.

Richochet blinked at the colour Naruto gave her in his mind. She couldn't exactly, but she recognised the colour by memory seeing as they were still in colour. It gave her a headache when it happened, but she hid it skilfully after much practice. "That colour would go good on my walls back in my estate in Konohagakure and maybe the one in my weasels den."

"I want to kill you both so much right now." The old man snarled at them.

"Wow, he's pissed." Naruto cocked his head to the side, arms behind his head, looking as if the man underneath wasn't scary at all. Considering they knew nearly all his jutsu and more style together and probably more jutsu from books Richochet bought, there was a great chance he might be dead instead.

"We're going back home to Konohagakure!"

Jiraiya sucked in a breath of air and swiftly walked off, muttering angrily under his breath, swearing at them.

The clones poofed away and the real duo, back in the hotel room they stayed in on Richochet's money – Jiraiya was a cheapskate – and gathered their stuff.

"I can't believe we're going back!" Naruto whispered elatedly. "Hinata! And Sakura and Lady Tsunade!"

Richochet looked at him in amusement, putting an eyebrow up. "Only girls, my, my. Won't Hinata be thrilled?" Her eyebrows wiggled up and down twice.

"Ack! Don't tell, 'ttebayo! Sakura's my sister figure! And Old Lady Tsunade is like my Granny or something!"

The sixteen year old smirked. "I was jesting, idiot."

"And what about you? Glad to see Neji?"

Richochet smirked wider, eyes gleaming over at the thought of him. "More than. I've admitted to myself I want him to want me as much as I want him."

"If that's possible. Horny little bitch." Naruto scoffed, picking up her dirty mouth.

She snickered. "I'm pretty sure he does. The amount of times we've had to stop practise because of him dreaming and me getting knocked out from the sensations is crazy. I had to rescue you from the bottom of the sea when we were only half way through my swimming lessons because of Hinata."

Naruto reddened. "I can't believe Hinata…"

A dry look coated the weasel demoness' face. "You can't believe any girl would think of a guy like that in a dream."

He pouted. "I always thought it was a guy thing."

"Oh and trust me, women like to hear just as much as the man does during sex."

"Oh come _on_! I'm not that stupid!" Naruto exclaimed and Richochet shrugged as they folded clothes hazardously in their quickness, Kino ducking when one threw the others clothes to their rightful owner. "Jeeze, why wouldn't they?"

"You listen to Jiraiya – a man – too much on that subject. It pains me." Richochet sighed dramatically, making Naruto laugh cheerfully as he always does. "Seriously though. I am a female I know what we what, okay?"

"Is that an admission to come to you for answers?"

She paused in folding a sleeping kimono in light white blue. "…You have no one else to go to on these things, huh? But… why don't you just ask what your Hyuuga wants? If she don't know, experiment and listen to her body signals. That's all I can say as a virgin."

Naruto nodded. "Yep, me too. But only our hands aren't! HAHA!"

Richochet turned slightly red at the admission, knowing the both of them had. "Who hasn't adventured their own body at this age? I believe you're considered weird if you haven't kissed someone out of your own family."

Kino, dressing himself in a beige shirt with an Uzumaki Swirl on the front and a Seishou Chalice on the back with black shorts and small sturdy boots that went to the middle of his legs and a cloak over his arm, ready to be put on, spoke up. "Why're you talking about the stuff what Jiraiya writes?"

The two paused and then paled.

The blonde swallowed in disbelief. "He's got a point."

"Shit. He's twisted us." Richochet swore and Naruto's bottom lip wobbled.

"I didn't mean tooo!" He wailed, falling to his knees, visibly horrified. "Hinata's gonna end up with a pervert! AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

Kino coughed to gain attention and announced forcefully. "We blame Jiraiya."

The other two glared in agreement.

"Yes."

Richochet grabbed her cloak and slid it on, fumbling with the medallion before clicking the magnets together and sealing the cloak shut, her head bare from a concealing hood. She hefted her small clothing bag up and sealed it into a scroll, snapping it into a specialised five-scrolled scroll carrier on her left hip. Grabbing the kunai and shuriken holster and fitted bandage, that slid on from pulling it up her leg, she put the holster on tightly.

Shoes next, and the straps went zigging and zagging up to her knees comfortably. Looking over to Naruto, she noted he too had taken out his cloak, but only because of the weather. Clouds had come in and their strong noses could scent out the rain on the currents.

Looking up at her, garnished in that tight black vest, a simple Jiraiya style orange jacket, those odd tribal designed boots and all of his choosing… a tight leather leg fitting pants that was loose enough not to make squeaky sounds.

"I can't believe you wear those things." Richochet stated and he grinned at her. "You are way too daring sometimes. Fashion bloody Queen."

Naruto preened happily. "Gotta surprise everyone, you know! Won't they drop over in shock?"

"_I'll_ drop over in shock in a minute." She muttered. Then she spoke up louder. "Why leather?"

"It's good and strong and hard to break through this one." He patted it lovingly. "And I saw it in a girls mag to put 'On Your Guys Killer Bod!' alerts. So I figured Hinata might like it."

She stared at him as he posed sexily. "I'm not saying anything apart from, 'you freak'. Oh, and 'what the hells wrong with you?' too. No wait, one more thing. Why would Hinata like that? You've seen how she lives. She's from a rich background of silks and velvets. Leather might look tacky to her."

Naruto deflated.

"Then again, she might have some kinkiness for it." Richochet thought absently. "She did pick you after all. Maybe she'll enjoy the feel of warm leather, heated from your skin."

A lecherous smirk played among his features.

Kino pulled on her cloak and she turned to him with a raised brow. "Could you help me seal my books away Richochet-dono?" He pointed to the mass amount of books that took up more than half the room. At least it was in alphabetical order. His clothes were on top folded and he carried his small bag of food and drink for himself on his bag. "Please?"

Nodding, she walked over to the lot, Kino still gripping her cloak and toddling along with her. Taking out the last scroll from her scroll holder, since the first in front carried her travelling stuff, the second her twin swords, the third money and jewels and expensive furniture, the fourth other large amounts of jutsu and such scrolls. She quickly performed a small amount of hand signs and flung the length of the scroll out, collecting all in its intended path.

"Done." She said finally, resealing it easily. Sliding it back in her case, he quickly hugged her tightly before running to Naruto and holding his hand firmly.

Naruto grinned at the boy before looking to Richochet. "Let's go!"

"What's the way back?" She asked lightly as they started out the hotel room from the window.

Naruto paused as he opened the window. "…"

"…"

"…Shit! I don't know!"

A scowl covered her face. "…That fucking Jiraiya!"

Kino sighed and took out a map. Sometimes, he wondered if he was the only one who didn't blame people, and he was the youngest at that. They really should know better. He sighed, following a path along the map with his eyes and patted their next stop – halfway to home.

"If we go by branch and water-" He spoke up, "-then we should get their by the end of the day, even with a break at the speeds you two can go when pushing it."

"Why don't we just use Richochet's Rai Shunkan Ido?!"

"I thought you wanted to surprise everyone?" She crossed her arms, raising a brow again.

The blonde and red highlighted haired half demon nodded. "Mm, yeah. True, true. But it's such a pain we can't go without you alerting our Hyuuga's and the others!" He glared at her.

"Psh. I can't help that we've constantly tuned them to us!" Richochet snapped, glaring back. The two gave the dirty look a few more seconds before dropping it, sighing. "I can't even stay angry at you for being angry at me not being unable to not alert them to us." She blinked and then looked to the left and out the window, feeling a known life signature.

"Yeah, 'ttebayo." He crossed his arms, an irritated look on his face. His nose twitched once. "Eh? Jiraiya's coming?"

"Oi! You three brats up there!" The old man appeared on the road down below and the three looked at each other before leaning out the window to stare down at him with smirks. "Come on! We're triple timing it back!" He disappeared away to the right.

Naruto grabbed Kino, swinging him on his back, as Richochet looked around the place, checking for left items. Her eyes lit upon their keychains that had their keys to what they had brought months ago. Their own houses on the outer edge of the village hidden in the leaves. Two rather large ones, two stories high with five bedrooms in each.

"Keys, idiot!" Richochet yelled as he jumped away, grabbing them and then jumping out again. "Oh, shi-!!"

WHAM!

"CRRRAP! That hurt! ACK! Kino!"

POOF!

Naruto and Richochet fell to the ground while Kino was caught by a random clone they made.

"OW!" Richochet held her weasel spot tenderly. "Why… is it _ALWAYS that_ _spot_?! I got the damn keys!" She flung his to him, and he automatically caught them. "Damnit. Three years of extensive training and what do we get? Almost NADA when it comes to dodging and fighting!"

Naruto grinned through the pain. He just happened to have a fox spot behind his human ear. Luckily it hadn't been touched. "We don't react to each others presence though. We're linked so half the time-"

"-We think we're part of each other and thus in two places at once." She completed. "We've become way too used to each other." The weasel demon said absently.

"Ah, whatever! Let's go!" Naruto exclaimed, ignoring her sour look. "I can't wait to be home."

"Yes, yes." The female mumbled as Kino jumped on Naruto's back and Naruto held out a hand after the seven and a half got comfy. She grabbed it and was effortlessly pulled up despite huge weight weighing her down. "Let's."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Back, huh?" Richochet stated looking up at the gates as she let Kino from her back, having switched with Naruto after the break, peeling away the lightning medallion and taking her cloak off with a flick of the hand. "It's been awhile, and I've done quite a few things since I left." 

"Yup!" Naruto nodded grinning. He'd been bubbling with energy since they'd left a few short hours ago, Kino predicting their speed slower than it was when they went full out to get home. "Who should I see first? Maybe the Hokage to get that scene over with or maybe visit everyone before I go so I don't have to wait because of missions to see everyone? I'm so _EXCITED_ DATTEBA_YOOO_!"

The two Chuunin's who Naruto vaguely recognised from the first exam in the Chuunin Examinations were at the gates, watching those go by and ticking off people who were visitors and residents.

"Hey, Izumo, isn't that…?"

Izumo nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, it is! That Naruto kid and his friend that Lightning Mistress Chick!" He whistled in approval. "I love the legs…" He said dreamily, staring at them in the heels. "They so rock. God, has that chickie got a guy?"

His friend, Kotetsu, shook his head. "Don't go there. Isn't that _Hyuuga_ her guardian? You know the seventeen year old one who got Jounin a day before his sixteenth birthday?"

Izumo gulped. "A Hyuuga? Ignore my previous thought after the legs comment."

"What comment?" Kotetsu asked in fake confusion.

"Man, am I glad to have you as a friend!"

Richochet snickered at the conversation as Kino, holding her hand, gave her a questioning look. She smirked down at him. "My legs rock, apparently."

Kino smiled up at her. "Adults are so weird."

"Nah, just obsessed with sex."

Kino laughed as she hoisted him up, supporting him on her waist, an arm under his thighs and gluteus maximus. He held her shoulders, cuddling them to him, not minding being carried again. "I hope I'm not, Chet-dono!"

"Don't worry, I'll still consider you worthy of being around me."

He beamed at the sort of praise.

Naruto started running up a huge concrete pole and took in a breath of higher air. "Konohagakure! I am BACK!"

"Is that Naruto?"

"Yeah it is!"

"You sure? Look at his hair!"

"Naruto! Naruto down here! Is that you?!"

Richochet looked at the pink haired female who waved up at him happily. '_Sakura looks… healthy. She's definitely grown._' Richochet noted. '_More femininely and mature. She seems less annoying too. Maybe I'll be able to work co-operatively with her._'

Kino pulled her short hair. "Who's that? She's really pretty."

Richochet rolled her eyes. Kino liked the ones who looked different from normal. Pink hair included. "Haruno Sakura, Kino. She's been working under Tsunade-sama, the Hokage for a while now. So she's probably got super human strength through use of perfected chakra control. I'd give her a wide berth, but you may use your child charms to win her over to your side."

Kino nodded, listening to her attentively. He was an obedient boy that liked to follow rules, but bent them at the same time for excitement. And excitement and activeness came in healthy doses around the two hanyou's.

"Hey, when'd you get back, Naruto?"

Naruto gasped happily and jumped down, landing silently and not moving any dust. He stopped a few feet from her. "Sakura-chan! I just got back! It's good to see you again!"

Sakura smiled warmly, eyes gentle. Then she blinked and her eyes widened. "You've become taller than me, haven't you?"

"Eh?" He cocked his head to the side. "Ha! I have! And… you're still taller than Richochet at least!"

Sakura looked around and saw the two near Jiraiya. "Seishou-san! It's good to see you again. I hope you are well? And who is your friend? Surely not a relative."

"I am well. This is Kaguya Kino of the Bone Manipulator Clan. He's a relative only to Jiraiya and Tsunade though. And you look different from what I remember of you. Stronger..." She said shortly, polite enough. "…Perhaps."

Sakura blushed and then nodded. "Tsunade is a brilliant teacher. Strict."

"How fortunate for you. It was the complete opposite for us. We rarely saw this perverted writer." Richochet scoffed leaning down to put Kino down as Jiraiya gave a sweeping punch. "Feeble." She noted without a thought, dodging again by stepping forward.

Her weasel tattoo on her leg burned. This happened when she was needed by the Boss, whom of which called her when she was needed back in her land as Lord Toko.

"I must leave. My lord calls." Richochet said shortly, bowing to them before running off quickly.

Naruto frowned but then looked back to Sakura. "I don't think you've changed Sakura-chan! You're as pretty as always!"

Sakura hand twitched wondering whether to deck him one or not. '_He saved himself. That's for sure._'

'_Jeeze…_' Jiraiya put a hand to his forehead. '…_Did I teach you nothing? Some of the scrolls I gave you even had the teaching on men and women and how they were to be treated in different ways! Idiot!_'

"Oi Oi! Naruto Nii-chan! Check it out! Oiroke no jutsu!"

A beautiful naked woman stood before him, posing as clouds drifted to protect her womanly parts.

Jiraiya gawped in astonishment.

Naruto sighed sadly. "Konohamaru-kun… That's so weak…"

"…" Konohamaru sighed sadly, copying his favourite person. "I'm sor-"

"BEHOLD! My newly made perverted jutsu!"

Sakura snarled and punched him, sending him flying as he ate dirt. "YOU IDIOT! YOU HAVEN'T GROWN UP AT ALL!!"

Kino giggled.

Jiraiya gawped. "It's a… second Tsunade… We're doomed."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet sighed as she reached her lands in half an hour. Jumping down the trees trunk and onto the hill the forest was situated on; Richochet stared down at her small village she lorded over. This land knew her as the second down from Lord Toko who looked after them when he was away and couldn't come. They had only seen her weak Henge once. Usually she made Jiraiya who could make things up on the spot or mainly Naruto do it as a Henge, with her telling him in his mind what to say. 

"Kazangan."

Eyes swirling violently, she scowled at the main square where a bunch of pathetic bandits were holding people hostage, demanding Lord Toko come out to give them money. Where were the Ninja she had made? The ones she trained each month to guard the place? It was such a small village – only ten families lived there, though the market place was booming.

Maybe that was why it was fought over so hardly and how they stupidly thought they could gain it easily.

"Tch." She sneered at them and did a quick Kage Bunshin. "This holds up my seeing the Hyuuga's… Those bastards won't have any mercy." She stated soundly to herself.

Ten copies of her blood and bones smirked at her, nodding in agreement.

One announced heartily, "Let's beat the shite outta them!"

"Indeed." Another replied with a telltale glint of revenge in her eye. "They'll be killed without mercy."

She and her copies quickly ran on top of the buildings. This village was far out, but it had a lake next to it and good farming lands so it was greatly flourished and brimming with food. The forest held rare herbs and plants for medicine and poisons.

Her head snapped up in realisation. That's why there wasn't any of the trained ones around. Those bandits must have knocked them out or killed them with the plants.

"No wonder…" She mumbled, tucking some stray hair behind an ear patiently. She dug a hand into her scroll pouch, unlocking her twin swords, but not planning to use them. These were for intimidation use only. No, these bandits didn't have enough energy for fighting. Maybe they had some knowledge on medicine and herbs, but they were no challenge for her at all.

Apart from one. He had the power of… maybe a Jounin.

Her Kazangan provided that information as she looked around. Why was it always bandits and not ninja's? There was never any challenge these days. For shame.

One of her copies jumped down in front of them. "My, my, my… it's seems the lands Lord Toko gave me is being spat upon by weaklings who try to take it from me. Foolishness should go punished."

"Ha! We ain't scared of no Toko. He sent a little girl!" The ring leader jeered at her from behind a bushy black beard. Mud eyes stared at her mockingly as he brushed out his somewhat expensive clothes more presentably. He was once a ninja, if the clothes were any guess.

The copy snickered. "I'm more than a match for some fodder like you. Don't worry. You'll die soon enough."

She peered around in vague interest. Some children were clinging to mothers and fathers. Others were bound and glaring angrily at the bandits, also looking relieved she was here.

Richochet thinned her lips and put a hand to her fourth scroll. Jiraiya had given her a scroll two weeks after her last visit to this place. It would help after she flushed away the scum bandits.

"…Oh really?"

A sneer tilted her lips. "Why… of course. Raiton!" Her hands went up in a single hand sign, the horse. Her lightning element gathered in her clouds and she aimed them as best as she could to charge the bandits who weren't holding the captured beings.

Her other copies slammed into the others holding a captured villager with the shoulders, performing various moves.

"Konoha Senpuu!"

"Daisenpuu!"

"Hakke! Rokujuyon Sho!"

"Kage Buyo!"

"Kaiten!"

"Konoha Shofu!"

Richochet cursed to herself. "This could have been prevented had Jiraiya made that scroll earlier." Shaking her head, the hanyou glared down at the Jounin Bandit. "If I leave one behind… He may report to others. But, my reputation need not be even more infamous."

"You… How dare you take down my men?!"

A copy looked up from her work; a clean stab wound to his lungs and a broken neck to keep it a little nicer for the kids. "Uh, they're dead not taken down or unconscious, dumb arse. We'll take them away and then poof out."

Richochet dropped down as the bandits were taken away to be burnt into ash via a good Goukkakyuu attack and looked at the two remaining copies. "Undo them…" She murmured and trailed off, knowing they were already and helping them up. "One chance. Go now or die. Simple."

He drew a kunai and slid into stance, teeth gritted.

Her two copies surrounded him.

Smirking, Richochet was inwardly bored, but she had a show to put on. Lifting a sword, she raised it to the sky and let lightning slam into it in a show of power and pointed it at him. "I don't like showing children death at such a young age. However…"

His eyes kept onto the blade. "How are you… not dead?! Th-That electric… Sh-should've k-k-k-killed y-you!"

"Lightning is merely at my command." She stated lazily, making the man quake with fear. Psychological torment was absolutely brilliant and was more her style as well as fighting. She wasn't a stoic person; she loved taunting. It was a villainous habit, but it was fun to watch them shake at her power.

He gulped loudly and lightning hit her, surrounding her with its power and forming into the shape of the demon Rokubi. It roared with power, shaking the lands with the sound of thunder. Children screamed and mothers covered their eyes while fathers stood in front shielding them as best as they could.

"I am Richochet the Lightning Mistress."

Her smirk became slightly larger and ever so slightly wicked with a hint of malice.

"Fear me."

The weasel shape of the demon turned into a huge powerful bolt of thunder, slamming into the man fiercely without remorse.

"Well, that should do it." She looked around and peered at each person and then at the children. She pointed with her swords at three boys and one girl. "You four, step forward. Names. Age."

A girl about four years old stepped forward from her mother, while her mother reached out to grab her back.

Richochet glared at the mother. "You are within Lord Toko's protection and under his will. He has given me this village to keep protection over when ever I visit. Fear not for this child's life. Girl."

"I'm Mika. I'm nearly five years old." She had curly brown hair and curious wine yellow white eyes. She was dress in a small dark red summer dress befitting the sunny weather. A small pup was in her arms, an Alsatian with black fur and bright green eyes. It barked at her once, whining in submission before wagging its tail.

"That dog looks as if it's supposed to be in the Inuzuka pound."

"I'm an Honorary Member of their pack!" She replied happily. "I saved this puppy from dying with a medical jutsu I watched a guy use."

'_I swear, these kids and their medical jutsu…_' Richochet cocked her head. "You merely watched?" A thought came to her mind. She took out a kunai and bent down to the dusty ground, drawing the Hyuuga mark three times but making minor adjustments. "Look at this."

The girl peered at it, blinking out of it for a few seconds before nodding.

Richochet rubbed it out with a hand and held out the weapon. "Do it again."

The girl frowned and then sat her puppy down, telling it to sit still for a moment. Drawing out the kunai, she looked at it uneasily for a second before sweeping to her knees, dirtying her dress much to the mothers' dismay, and drew them out perfectly from memory.

"Done!" She replied cheerfully, as positive as a person could be.

"Me too!" A boy called out about eight years old. Richochet looked over.

They had.

"I'm Kyo! Nine years old!" He looked up at her and she raised a brow.

"You're an Uchiha. Those eyes are the Sharingan. It's rare to see one." Richochet noted, smirking in amusement. "After all your, Clan's dead by that mass murderer, Uchiha Itachi. Pity. However, you both have something of a Photographic memory. You for sure, Mika. Mika, tolerant at chakra control…"

Richochet took out the fourth scroll again and put some more blood on the scroll and it sucked it up greedily. A huge crate of scrolls, like a crate of wine, had scrolls in separate square compartments on the ground. She took out a green ended one, pushed some chakra to break her security measure and tossed it to the girl. "Learn everything in that Mika. Kyo."

She stared at him, judging him down. Nodding to herself, she selected an orange ended Genjutsu one that she had read and known of all the jutsu in by the hand signs and how to break them, broke the security measure, and tossed it to him.

Two other boys, she remembered as twins that were half decent at Taijutsu and better at seals being more scientific types, were tossed a couple of red and silver ended scrolls, security measure broken once again.

"You will keep them and never let anyone steal them or you will remake it even better than this. And these, little children, were given to me by the Sannin Jiraiya."

They gasped in awe and looked at them with a new interest.

"Keep them safe, keep them secret. If words get out there are rare scrolls to be taken… I will kill every last being in this village, clean it up and get new inhabitants." She stated airily, enjoying the power she had over these people.

A silence settled as people looked to each other worriedly.

"This is all for your safety. You have older and very experienced ninja in this village already, they will teach you. No one is leader in this village apart from me. I don't care if you have family clan rules. My list of rules is in that building." She pointed to the main hall. "Nothing is to be changed without MY permission. I alone will be able to change anything on that scroll of rules. Anyone who tries will be electrocuted, just so you know."

An old man stepped forward, dressed in a dark grey males' kimono and with a cane, and bowed respectfully. "We are grateful. Indubitably. Please stop frightening the villagers."

"So they know and don't get ideas. I have to be consistent. Even to children." She shrugged uncaringly. "Do not fear my wrath unless against rules. I can be generous. You will see."

He nodded and stared at her, showing kind blue eyes. In that moment, she was struck so intensely by how much his eyes reminded her of her delicate Shoko. He smiled, softening his eyes further. She stilled, staring at him with wide surprised eyes. Suddenly she bit her thumb, dragged it across the weasel summoning tattoo, slamming the hand on the ground, bringing a large amount of weasels instantly.

They, the hundred odd weasels, looked around in curiosity. "Mistress?" The squeaked in uncertainty. "What do you request?"

"Stay here and protect these people, serve them kindly and expect respect and kindness in return, if not, go to the next kind family. Keep yourself healthy and happy though, all of you." She chuckled a bit. "You should have a good life here, not a servant one. A happy one. Do my duties to this village. I have set up a scroll for a force field that will keep them safe from those with malcontent at them from coming in."

They stood up on their two back legs and bowed. "Yes, milady!"

Richochet breathed out her nose, giving a hum in amusement. She gave a smile to the locals, completely fake as her eyes were still hardened from the fight, but it made them feel better and she saw them visibly relax.

"Good bye." She bowed, slipping her scroll back into her pouch and as she closed the top, the contents of the scroll automatically went back into the last place it was. A design by Jiraiya, it was a gift to her for her last birthday, last year. It was late April though, so her next was soon. "May the barrier last as long as the chakra is in it."

She walked away, swaggering cockily more like it, and jumped up into the healthy forest with a few leaps to get there.

"Wait!" Mika yelled. "Come eat with us!"

Richochet gave her a blank look. "You better get me a whole deer to eat. I haven't eaten for days." Yup, as a half demon she had to deal with random humungous appetites. Like now when the offer appeared. "I'm not much of a guest either."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

By the time the villagers had her way with the unwilling woman; it was nearly half a week later. They'd begged her to better train the small children and the older ninja's in easier techniques on helping the kids with their scrolls. So she did and that was that. The children liked her enough anyway and probably wanted her around more than the adults. 

No self preservation instincts at all.

Still, she had a soft spot for them. She may ignore them until the went right up to her and did something that get her attention but they didn't get her help otherwise.

When she got back, a few hours had passed. Finding Naruto was easy.

All you had to do was find the orange in a forest and two Sannin, her two students and Naruto's old sensei.

'_Naruto, you haven't changed your style much. Domination by sheer masses is crazy._' She announced through their link, watching the show from a tree the opposite side of the Sannin and her student. '_Dodge and then jump the next._' He did so and Kakashi's eyes narrowed and set to work on the copy he was fighting.

'_ACK! What now, oh Taijutsu master?!_'

'_Roll back, block the leg, up, good, side step left, now jump over him get another to tackle him to Sakura and get her to wallop him one! If not then, make sure to get more on his arse._' She watched carefully as it was performed effortlessly. Kakashi managed to escape though. '_Ah, he is top of the line. And so much better than the idiot bandits we beat the crap outta._'

'_You coming to help or what, 'ttebayo?!_'

'_When I have a good opportunity, I will. Patience._'

Jiraiya looked up as she sat next to him. "Go down and help."

"Like I just told Naruto, when I have a good opportunity I will. Patience." She repeated in annoyance. "Males." She shook her head and crept down to the Hokage and Shizune. "I'm back."

"I can tell." The Hokage replied dryly. "Where were you?"

"Sorting some village out..." She replied shortly, crossing her arms to take away the chill. She didn't like the coldness. "It's nothing. Some bandits were pissing about in a place with people I had preferred over others. I'm sure you want to see what me and Naruto have been up to? We are better together and he's better than this on his own."

Richochet saw a Genjutsu up. She sped off, disappearing to the other side of the river, leaving behind some Kage Bunshin's in case.

"Katon! Goukkakyuu no jutsu!"

Richochet raised a brow at the length of the left behind rubble. "Bloody hell… That ones nearly as strong as Naruto's are when he kind of tries… a half demon at that…"

Her eyes narrowed. '_That strength comes from experience and large quantities of chakra, but after that Genjutsu, the movement he's done these past hours and now this earth element technique. Doing techniques from two different elements takes a toll. A Suiton?!_'

She went at the ready, a cloud of storm covering the area looking like normal clouds just passing, but she knew two people knew differently and Naruto was grinning a little as he ran up with Sakura.

"Suiton; Suiryuudan no jutsu!"

'_Get her out of there! Kawarimi it with your clones and make her a clone!_' Richochet made a number of hand signs. "Rai Tatsumaki no jutsu!"

Kakashi snapped his head to the side and widened his eyes as thunder and lightning in a thunderstorm swam towards him at devastating speeds as the Lightning Mistress joined the other two.

"Naruto, Sakura." She whispered, getting their attention. "It probably won't hit him."

"ARGGH!"

"Much." She smirked and Naruto looked somewhat worried as Sakura looked horrified.

Naruto gave her a look. '_You didn't hurt him much, right?_'

'_How should I know? I got here after I performed it. Right now the energy in my cloud is draining to keep it up. It'll disperse when it reaches the state of energy it had when I first got it. It's like levelling up in a game with my stalker cloud._'

When it was all done, the three noted he had disappeared and went on guard. Turning on her Kazangan she peered around and watched the trail of chakra go off to the left and north a bit. Naruto looked back down from scenting him out and nodded to her friend.

'_I can't believe the damn guy is still up from getting electrocuted. Has he gotten used to it or something?_'

'_Yeah, people who survive that either just got skimmed from it or had missed it completely, 'ttebayo._'

'_Hmph._' She narrowed her eyes in concentration.

"At any rate we don't stand a chance if we can't occupy his hands." Sakura said quietly and the three nodded in unison at that. "I think… Naruto, Richochet, how good are you together?"

"Excellent!" Naruto exclaimed. "Three years is a long time to get used to a person's ways. We can't lose."

His other female companion nodded. "Good. I'll try aiming for the bells, you two occupy his hand via jutsu or Taijutsu."

"It's our strength. I'll try getting his chakra points too."

Sakura frowned in confusion. "Don't Hyuuga… Ah! That's right! You're an ancestor family, right? You're able to use it too, huh? Yeah, I remember Neji reporting you were doing well enough in the style but not so much the chakra control."

Richochet turned to her, eyes swirling, making Sakura lean forward for a second, hypnotized. The demoness blinked to stop her younger female companion from smacking into her forehead. "…Consider me an Honorary Member."

Sakura smiled slightly after shaking her head, oblivious to what happened. Naruto gave Richochet a laughing look with a small cheeky fox grin on his features. She looked away from the two demons, no idea what they were and what they could do. "Mm. Okay. That should work. Get him from behind perhaps. We'll work on his front."

The two nodded in agreement. '_Is it okay to show the small stuff we know instead of the big stuff, 'ttebayo? I wanna show how strong I am!_'

'_Yeah, but do you want to ruin this forest forever?_'

'…_It'll grow back._'

'_I'm proud of you. That's what I would have said. Ha! I've weakened you to my will._'

"What's Kakashi's weakness?" Sakura said to them. Well, more to Naruto since Richochet hadn't known the man that well. "He's smarter than Shikamaru-kun, with all those dogs of his he must have better nose senses than Kiba-san, faster and better at Taijutsu than Lee-san and let's not forget that Sharingan."

"We cancel out the Sharingan via a jutsu we two know." Naruto stated.

"Naruto's senses are better than his." Richochet continued.

"You're smart as heck, Sakura-chan."

"And Richochet's better at Taijutsu than anyone I know." Naruto stated seriously. "And she has both in and out attacks. We can't lose." He grinned, making a fist. "His weakness though…"

Richochet raised a brow. "Is he ticklish?"

"…"

"…"

"…I've never tried." Naruto replied slowly.

She shrugged. "Suggestions. What about… anything he keeps on him? An old necklace that means a lot? Some kind of item?" Richochet fiddled with the last necklace on her neck, brushing her choker line of electric fur.

"…" Sakura put a hand to her forehead. "Of course…"

"Oh man! I even gave him the newest edition!" Naruto pulled at his Yondaime style hair.

Richochet raised a brow, unsure as to what they were thinking of. "Whaaat?" She drawled, waiting for an answer.

"_MAKE OUT TACTICS!_" They whispered harshly to her, giving her stupid looks.

"…"

"Ex_act_ly!"

"…"

"…"

"… Oh… Bloody hell. Another one."

"Naruto!" Sakura grinned. "You really are the number one unpredictable ninja!"

In the end, they didn't bother with fighting; they just caused a diversion by Naruto reading out what he knew of Make Out Tactics that both Richochet and Naruto had to help write – a hidden line in the invisible verbal contract to getting trained by Jiraiya.

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Naruto jingled the bells. 

Kakashi sighed, his shoulders heaving down.

Richochet looked at him, eyes narrowed, Kazangan now gone. "I have lost what little respect building for you during this test. You are so lame it's unbelievable. It's just the ending of a stupid porno book."

He glared. "You just don't understand Make Out Tactics."

"I'm glad I don't have _that_ as a weakness." She turned her head away, crossing her arms, ignoring the way his fists clenched. "Friggin Perverts…"

"It's amazing how much you like that lame book." Naruto chuckled.

Kakashi dropped his glare, looking at Naruto in slight puzzlement.

"Eh?"

"Ero-Sennin lent me a copy, but it was so lame I didn't read past ten pages!"

"…_EH?!_"

"I actually have no idea how it ends! Only Richochet does!"

Kakashi pointed at him in amazement.

Richochet and Sakura snickered as he fell against the tree in shock.

Sakura held up a hand for high five to Richochet but the girl turned her head once again. Sakura sighed in sadness but blinked as she saw the hand palm up. She looked up at the girl before grinning and slapped hard on her hand.

Now feeling a little better with the two around her – they'd definitely matured slightly from their childish or cruel states – Sakura turned to Kakashi and shrugged. "Even though Naruto didn't know the ending, we'd guessed you'd react to 'Make Out Tactics' anyway. That's a great strategy, right? Using the weakness of the enemy?"

Kakashi groaned and gargled something unintelligent.

"I've seen how the three of you've grown."

"Shishou?"

Tsunade and Shizune walked up. "Anything you'd like to say, Kakashi?"

"Well, they did an excellent job of stealing the bells from me."

Naruto and Sakura stared at each other in confusion. What was the Hokage planning? "What'cha talking about?" Naruto questioned, looking from Kakashi to Tsunade, giving them befuddled looks.

"Hm, Uzumaki Naruto! Haruno Sakura! You two will form Team Kakashi! You will be equal from now on as student and teacher." The three nodded in agreement. "Seishou Richochet!"

"…?"

"Not that talkative, hmm? I guess you have a reason for it. You will follow me and tell me all about certain events you failed to tell me before we left that Jiraiya informed me of." She let her eyes narrow dangerously. "And no skipping anything."

Richochet turned to face Jiraiya in the trees and gave him a death glare, Kazangan whirling at an intense rate angrily.

The old man stilled, as the feeling of committing suicide overran him, to just end it all to get the hell away from her piercing, all-knowing gaze. '_It's a demon! She won't hesitate! Do it. Do it. Doit. Doitdoitdoit!_'

"Seishou!"

Richochet blinked, turning it off and Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come! NOW!"

Richochet bared her teeth at the command, but followed.

_

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_

**_R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N_**

_

* * *

Ibiki glared at me._

_I glared back. "Yeah, I don't like you either. Take a hike. I'll tell what I want when I want where ever I want."_

_His fist clenched._

"_Or…" I smirked. "How about you ask nicely?"_

"_And let you not answer after all and when I say this you'll just say you won't know until you try or-"_

"_Confuuuuuusion." I said loudly, looking away in boredom. "Damn do you think too much!"_

_His brow twitched._

"_Sorrrry, I'm no criminal, you can't smack me." I sang-songed mockingly. "It ain't gonna work, toots."_

"…"

_Did I just call him toots?_

_Flippin heck._

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* * *

Richochet sighed at herself. Ibiki was a bloody nightmare. No wonder he's the head honcho interrogation guy. Damn. Tsunade was looking at her in a displeased fashion '_Piss off lady. You sit in there for hours being interrogated for having a couple of skeletons in the closet that should be kept to yourself._' 

"Why won't you tell us?"

"Those are secrets that are mine to keep." She glared at the old woman, mentally tiredly but definitely ready to rip some heads off.

* * *

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"_Tell me about this Lord Toko you know of."_

_So he knows I know. Does Ibiki know I've told Jiraiya I am him?_

"_What about him? You have a crush on him or something?"_

_He glared at me before smirking._

"_Tired?"_

_I gave him a degrading look and spoke like a child._

"_You try fighting Kakashi after travelling hours all day and beating the crap out of the bandits and keeping up with the number one unpredictable ninja, Uzumaki Naruto and that perverted old man Jiraiya."_

"_I'll give you that."_

_I smiled innocently._

"_How about you just give me back my temporary freedom?"_

_Ibiki cocked his head at my change in personality._

"_Temporary?"_

_I smirked, changing personalities again._

"_We're ninja. Aren't we? Tools to be taken out for sharpening and use and then put back when done with." I raised a brow and shrugged. "Or left behind."_

"_You are strange. Lord Toko?"_

"_The one you have a crush on? What about him?"_

"…_How'd you meet him?"_

"_I didn't."_

"_Let's talk about your stability."_

"_What stability? I've been visiting psychiatrists all my life."_

"_Your type is psychopathic."_

_I smiled with nothing in the smile; a baring a teeth. "What of it? Call it what you will. Lack of emotions, uncaring, cold. Oh, I'm sorry. This is the life of a ninja I'm speaking of. We're all psychopathic then."_

"_You are cunning, witted, silver-tongued and a highly intelligent psychopath." _

"_Oh, really? Is that admiration you give me? Highly intelligent?"_

"_You help Lord Toko don't you? Other psychopath with less intelligence would be in prison. You don't get caught."_

"_Don't I?"_

_Ibiki blinked, changing topic to wear me down more. "You have lack of emotional intelligence."_

"_Lack of 'Emotional Intelligence'… Yes, you could say that."_

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**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"And what about your having the 'six tails' in you?" 

"What about it, Lady Hokage?" Richochet watched her like she did her next kill. "…What about it?"

"Don't talk to me like that." Tsunade scowled. "I'm the Hokage, not you."

"And because of that you're not dead yet. Those bumbling idiots out there need you." Richochet said, just wanting to go find her Hyuuga's, being so near to their home was making her itch with want. "Listen, I have six tails in me, thus I'm a skilled Lightning Mistress. The best in time, I assure you. What does it matter? Rokubi and I are companions like the Inuzuka and the dogs."

Tsunade blinked in shock and leaned back, letting out a sigh of disbelief.

"Two Jinchuuriki in one country does not bode well."

Richochet sighed. "I'll leave when Neji-sensei finishes my training. I'll travel like you did."

"Akatsuki-"

"-Will come after me in time." She cut off. "I know." A smirk tilted her lips. "They'll be taken care off soon enough, right? Patience."

"_What_ do you know?!" Tsunade demanded, looking distraught as Richochet stared at her steadily. She felt a sense of ease come over her but kept up her anger at those damnable eyes. "How can you be so calm?!"

Richochet shrugged, uncaring, still staring at her steadily. "…I just am. Look lady, you don't have to worry about this demon problem unless Akatsuki actually attacks, you know? I haven't gone crazy on a killing spree yet." Richochet stood up, preparing to leave to get some sleep. "I need rest. I've had about three hours in two days, not good enough for a teenage body."

Tsunade looked out the window; it was coming up to dawn. Her face showed a bit of surprise before actually looking at her own body internally. Yes, even she was feeling the bite of weariness.

"Fine. Here." Tsunade did a few hands signs unknown to her. "This is a sleeping jutsu for you to fully recuperate without being hungry, thirsty or tired at all. It should last a good two weeks. Nothing can interrupt it."

"Wait a second… What about joining a team or something? And two _weeks_?"

"You'll need it to get over Ibiki's interrogation." Tsunade raised a brow and had an amused smile as she walked around the desk smoothly. "I'll think something out after." Two green fingers touched her forehead and she blacked out easily. The blonde caught her firmly and placed her on the green sofa opposite the pictures of the past Hokage's.

* * *

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* * *

"An emergency from sand?" Naruto said, somewhat horrified. "Gaara's been kidnapped?" He clenched his fists tightly. '_But Gaara wrote to us saying he'd gone half demon! They can't take anything, right? No, wait…_' 

_Rokubi sighed wearily. '__**Of course. Thank you all, and Richochet?**__'_

'_Y-Yeah, weasel?__' She barely felt Naruto's arms around her shoulder as she felt herself getting cold._

'_**My spirit is still in you, though my soul is slowly going to the other side. I'll be able to go to your dreams, but rarely as in, once a year rarely. Oh. And Akatsuki will still be after my essence.**__'_

'_Thanks a lot for that.__' She replied sarcastically._

'_The essence, huh?_' Naruto looked out the window as the others talked around him. '_So they can still get us… damnit. Just what is this essence, anyways, 'ttebayo?!_'

He sighed as they were given the message to get ready to go. "What about Richochet? And where has Kino gone, 'ttebayo?"

Iruka perked up. "I''ve gotten Sakura's family looking after him until you and Richochet are able to. He's at their house sleeping still." He chuckled.

Tsunade smiled at the thought of the child. "Kino is fine. Richochet is sleeping. She'd been interrogated by Ibiki for not telling me anything. She was much more co-operative after that. Of course, Ibiki had to hold back from hurting her multiple times. You have a loyal, stubborn, but not so amiable companion there, Naruto."

Naruto grinned weakly. "Just like her." He went back to a more important subject. "We have to go as soon as possible for Gaara though! When can we leave?!"

"When you pack fully." Tsunade said. "Leave now!"

'_Richochet!_'

No reply.

Naruto blinked in shock as he followed the other two absently. '_OI!! GAARA'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!!_'

Nothing.

What the heck did that old woman do to her?! He turned to Tsunade, giving her a suspicious look as he closed the door. The Hokage frowned at the closed door, that the blonde with red highlights knew for sure.

'_Richochet…_'

His beast welled up at not being able to feel the contact. Without a shoulder to lean on with another demon or his chosen in contact visually, mentally or physically, he'd have to struggle to keep it back by himself.

And that he'd never done before.

It pushed against his will, wanting to come out.

'_Calm down! Damnit!_'

* * *

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* * *

Richochet's eyes snapped open as her senses awakened fully. 

Her head felt a little fuzzy, but apart from that, she was doing okay. Her body felt a little achy and stiff, but she could work with that easily enough. Training with Naruto and Jiraiya had been far worse on her. Concentrating ever so slightly, she put a bit of chakra into lightning and pulsed it through her, immediately healing her aching body.

"…Should be finishing up their mission soon and should be on their way back."

Her head slid to face them enquiringly, feeling the soft demon weasel furred material of her cloak surround her warmly. There was no need for blankets when you had this. Her palm had a soft warm weight in it. Her magnetic lightning medallion.

"They…?" Shizune frowned before understanding came to her face. "Okay, I'll set up the arrangements straight away!" She dashed out of the room, navy blue kimono fluttering as she swept away determinedly.

Tsunade sighed and turned away from the window and put her hands on the table, staring at her grand prize winning ticket. "Are we ready for the worst case scenario?"

Richochet decided it would be best to wake up now. "Of course we are, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade snapped her head to the side in surprise. "It's been two days! How are you…?!"

"Jinchuuriki." Richochet shrugged, checking over her items and making sure all were there. Her scroll holder was on the floor next to her, along with her bag filled with kunai and shuriken and then the pouch she rarely used filled with her six blades, smoke bombs, explosive notes and such was next to it.

Shizune ran in two minutes later as Richochet finished putting on her ends, Tsunade silently watching. Richochet drew up her hood as Shizune squeaked in shock at the figure that was supposed to be practically comatose for two weeks up and about.

"Yes, Shizune?"

"They're back from their mission, Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade perked up. "Excellent! Seishou, follow me! You'll be an extra for this mission. However, you will not be following the exact orders Gai will give. You will be travelling with them only and backing up Uzumaki. Jiraiya stated you had the ability to converse with him without words?"

"Correct."

"Then do so immediately."

They followed Shizune down the corridor.

'_Oi, Naruto._' She stumbled as the blast of anger washed over her before cooling down as she cooled it down with her chakra lightning. The other two stopped to look back at her in confusion.

'_Richochet..? RICHOCHET! THEY TOOK GAARA! GAARA HE'S BEEN CAPTURED AND I-_'

'_Calm down. Control yourself._' Richochet nodded to them. They set off down the hall once more, keeping watch over the girl a bit more. '_Better now you can hear me?_'

'_Yeah… Hurry up already!_'

'_I'll be going with backup soon. Shut up and hurry up along to get Gaara. He's younger than us by a year for you and two for me and hasn't had much chance to get control. Five months isn't enough for even a grip. No wonder he got caught._' Richochet stood a bit straighter and walked a little more quickly.

Shizune led the way down and out and they jumped across the buildings to land at the entrance.

"Team Gai."

"Hokage-sama!" They chimed.

"This is of course, someone you know quite well, I'd say. Hood down now."

"Hello, Gai-sensei, Tenten, Lee…"

A smirk lit Richochet's face as she peered at the male in front of her. Blood rushed through her veins hotly as her lava eyes glowed at the opalescent ones staring straight back at her.

She pulled her hood down and gave a small little smile before smirking at the four in front of her.

"_**Neji…**_"

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* * *

Yo! How'd everyone like it? I know I liked writing it!

My, my, what now? Poor Gaara! I always hated that bit. Sighs... Ah well

Review please! Adios Amigos!

Ten Words

_Sasori. Devotion. Hurling Insults. Kisame. Shampoo. Apples. Nicer. Delicious. Mizu_

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**R.**

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	29. Chapter XXIX

**Hello! Happy Fireworks Day! Bless you Guy Fawkes for trying to blow up Parliament 402 years ago! Of course, you did try and kill our King James I, but we forgive you for giving us an awesome day. I'm going to be enjoying funfairs, fireworks and funky food all day! And we go off setting off fireworks in the school/college corridors too! (Evil grin.) Fun!**

Mucho Glompage Toooo...

_Crazygirl123AkitoLover (say what?) - Neko of Light - Zero Asakura - Sanya12 - lilmeika - Joster13 - -SoulMama- - Elewyn2007 - Depressing Truths - Hibiki-chan - Songo714 - -Asa-Hoshi- - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Emerald Lady (Whoa, calm down! Patience, girl!)- Blood Zephyr - Rock Fee - Kimura Akira_

_So... Here's the ditty people say sometimes. _

_Remember, remember, the fifth of November, _

_The gunpowder, treason and plot!_

_I know no reason why gunpowder treason,_

_Should ever be forgot!_

_People usually don't know the last three lines though so it's mainly just Remember, remember the fifth of November. A bit of English (and Australian, I'm pretty sure) culture for you!_

**Yup, I sing it allllll day!**

**

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**

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**

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**

"Richochet-san!" Lee shouted joyously, jumping forward in front of her, blocking her view of Neji, but being around Neji was just enough for now, she felt much calmer, but at the same time, the amount of pressure from the beast to just take him and steal him away overran her system and she fought to keep her mind on the situation at hand.

"Lee. You are well?" She circled him once. "You seem more powerful than before. Living up to your sensei?" She said absently, everything within her crying out to just look at the male she wanted to mate.

"Yes ma'am!" He gave a salute to her, beaming. "I sure am, ma'am!"

"…Ma'am?" Richochet smirked at him. "Ma'am? I'm much too young for that." She turned him to the Hokage as she walked to Tenten calmly, forcing her beast down from it trying to control her walking and move her to the Hyuuga. "That privilege alone goes to our Hokage-sama." She ignored the extreme snarl that ripped from the older woman's lips. "And you are well?"

Tenten gave her a gentle smile, and placed her hands behind her back, looking absolutely fabulous in her white and soothing red clothing. "You've become nicer."

"Naruto does that to you." Richochet replied dryly rolling her eyes. "And it's easier among those your own age, supposedly."

"Really? I guess so."

A small smirk tilted her lips as she roved around Tenten, looking her up and down and assessing her level with the Kazangan quickly, swirls over taking and then disappearing before anyone noticed. She covered it up by making a smooth excuse. "I've never noticed how sorely I needed female company. Your clothing is delightful. I have a good connection that can get you even better quality though. These are for training?"

"Um, everyday wearing." Tenten replied, never really talking of clothes, but finding it wasn't too bad with someone more like her and less 'girly' as it were.

A finger tapped her cheek twice. "My friend Mokuba would be appalled. The old codger would like you though since he barely likes me." Richochet noted, stopping in front of Gai.

"Ah, my youthful students' maiden! How long has it been?"

"...Nearly three years?" Richochet said bluntly. "Give or take some months. Have you gotten stronger like Naruto's sensei has?"

Gai laughed loudly and crossed his arms, closing his eyes and putting a finger up, a beaming grin on his face. "I have indeed! In fact, the score between us is one hundred and forty nine to him and one hundred and fifty to me!"

"Good for you." She nodded and walked to Neji feeling heat beam through her as she approached him carefully, not entirely sure if he was pissed off at her for leaving without a say so. She stepped around him as he followed her intently with his clear eyes, turning his head to watch her go around him.

The weasel demoness frowned, staring up at him as she stood in front of him, hands to hips.

"You've gotten damn taller."

"You've barely grown."

Richochet smirked at him, pleased to be back. "The cheek of it."

"What can I say?"

"Something witty? Then again, I daresay you can."

"How charming of you." The boy scoffed, flicking her nose and jolted at the shock of electric, but not from her power. Something else more… tangible between them was building and his lack of experience in this kind of thing didn't help matters. "How charming indeed." Neji mumbled to himself.

Richochet nodded slowly. "Thought so."

"See Lee? This is youthful love at its greatest!" Gai whispered loudly to his student. "Oh I wish I had a camera to celebrate the reunion with a photo!"

"I do Gai-Sensei! I do see the youthful love at full bloom!"

Richochet glared at them with Neji as the other three females sweat dropped. Then rolling her eyes, the half blood looked up at him through her lashes discreetly. '_You've gotten much more muscular, Neji. Delicious._' She thought to herself, hiding that particular thought from him quickly and looking to Tsunade as the Hokage called her.

The long haired male smirked slightly. "As have you." He whispered under his breath, knowing she'd hear, being a demon and all. His eyes followed her curves before looking to the back of her silken head once more. "Delicious."

Richochet pause minutely in a bit of surprise at his power to be able to read her mind but carried on, smirk a little bigger than before, confidence heightening dangerously.

"How fast can you go?" Tsunade questioned.

"As fast as lightning."

Tsunade hummed, eyeing the team, eyes last on Neji and Richochet, unsure whether to proceed with this particular arrangement. '_Those two definitely are attracted to each other and that could screw the mission over. And not just the mission._' She cleared her throat. "Your mission is to give back up to Team Kakashi now."

"Team Kakashi?" Tenten asked curiously.

"Yes, Tenten. Team Kakashi is currently out in Suna."

'_Naruto? Where are you?_'

'_It's so cool! Sakura just healed that guy Kankuro, Gaara's big bro! He was poisoned. We're heading out to the hideout soon! When Pakkun come back we'll know where to go…_' Naruto said faintly. Most likely because of the distance.

"They're in time. Sakura has just healed the Kazekage's brother." Richochet spoke up. "Kazekage-sama has also been taken to have the demon extracted from him. Anything else?"

"Who took him?"

'_Who took him?_' Richochet thought to herself, communicating with Naruto with supreme ease as Neji listened on silently, watching her changing expressions.

'_Gaara… Gaara's been taken to have the demon extracted by Akasuna no Sasori and...Mizu._' Naruto growled in his mind.

'_I've never heard of this Sasori but_… _The Mizu _I_ know?!_'

'_Yeah… And I thought she wasn't as bad as you made her out to be!_'

Richochet grimaced, not caring who watched her make random faces. '_She was a freaking… ugh... but to… Gaara?! Who is this Akasuna?_' She questioned raising a brow.

'_A master puppeteer guy, who's this grandson of Chiyo baa-sama._'

Her teeth gritted together as she glared at the ground. "He was captured by Akasuna no Sasori of Sunagakure, the grandson of Chiyo baa-sama… and… Mizu of Konohagakure…"

Tsunade nodded in remembrance. "I know that old hag."

Richochet blinked at her and then smirked. "An older hag then you? Wonders never CEASE!" She jumped behind Neji, sticking out her tongue as she dodged the impending death blow that shook the foundations of the earth. Neji looked behind him in amusement. "Well, let's go then. Before I die, yeah?"

She forcefully jumped away into the healthy trees of Konoha, Neji quickly on her trail and the other three of Gai's team followed, taken aback at her speed.

"When I thought you changed…" Neji began to speak to her and she peered at him with her visible eye. "…I see, truthfully, that you haven't much, personality wise that is. Physically yes. Powerfully, we've yet to see. Where is your hitae-ate?"

"I left it back in my room in the Hyuuga Estate." Richochet simply shrugged. "Didn't you go in there?"

"…" Neji looked away and that was the end of that conversation.

To him.

"And powerfully…" Richochet gave a smug look. "I'm so much better than you."

He stiffened and gave her a challenging look, the urge to test her overrunning him. He wanted to know what she'd done. He wanted to know the answers to his question he got from her letter. He wanted to know who she'd been with. He wanted to know everything that had changed with her.

Neji wanted to know Richochet all over again.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really. I got tutored by a perverted Sannin, who taught me nearly everything he knows, so what do you expect, Neji-eji-senseii? Tch. Stupid."

BOP!

Richochet rubbed her spot and then blinked, turning back to the silver eyes male.

"…Is it weird to note I've missed that?"

"Yeah." He nodded, holding onto his bag's strap once again. "I have too."

Tenten and Lee looked at each other oddly.

Gai sensei merely smiled happily at his eldest student. Neji honestly hadn't taken his eyes off of her yet and it was odd to see the boy so focused intently on a person. These years had made the Jounin hard and he'd just broken out of the character he'd made so easily. And it all happened as soon as that girl had come.

What was the word again?

Oh yeah.

He chuckled and murmured under his breath, "Devotion." He spoke up louder. "Richochet?"

"Hm?" The girl looked back to show she was listening before looking forward again. There was no way she'd _ever _smash into a tree again by lack of concentration. That lesson was learnt the hard way indeed.

"What did you do in your training?"

"What part? The Taijutsu was easiest for me. I've five styles now, and I'm working on my sixth, Tang Soo Do. It's hella awesome, and since I'm a Taijutsu fan it came quickly to me. So did seals. Ninjutsu came more easily to Naruto since he prefers it."

She paused, jumping down to a branch and then flinging herself through the air with complete control, grace and power, eyes sharp as the sounds of the weasels below relayed hello's, info and messages of hope to her via squeaks and thumps of vibration.

'_An incoming, hmm._' Richochet thought and put her sense out even further than the normal few miles. '_Summoning dog._'

"Genjutsu is really bad for me on the other hand, though Naruto runs riot with his illusions, be careful of them around him. I can only break them, not perform them. Shinigami-sama took that ability away along with Earth techniques since I moved away from here without my own consent. If I'd given it, I would not be able to do anything with chakra."

Gai hummed. "I am especially pleased you are a fan of Taijutsu. Maybe you can fight my Lee one day?"

Lee's eyes lit up and ran in front of her, going backwards. "Yes! I would enjoy that immensely to show my youthful arts off!"

"It's a done deal." Richochet nodded, smirking. "I can't wait to beat you. Weapons-wise, Naruto and I learnt one each."

"Which?" Tenten prompted jumping up next to her in interest.

"I learnt to better wield my swords I got from one of the seven swordsmen. Remember? I went to your family shop with them and you fell in love with them?" She smirked again.

Tenten grinned and nodded. "Did you leave them with Jiraiya?"

"Nope." Richochet opened her cloak slightly and took the second scroll out and waved it in front of her twice. "In here." Richochet, nicked her thumb and put some blood on it before handing it to Tenten.

Excitedly, the girl dropped back and took them out from the scroll, a light of sneakiness gleaming in her eyes. "I might as well test them out as soon as I see them right, Chet-chan?"

"…Knock yourself out."

A happy squeal was her amusing reply.

"By the way, Naruto uses nun-chucks."

"Cooooolll."

Richochet looked back at the girl who was investigating them all over and Lee had joined her as Gai swept up next to her, giving her a searching look. "…?"

"Surely you must have learned more about Akatsuki."

"Surprisingly, no. I know little until I meet them." She shook her head. "I only know names. Mizu, Akasuna no Sasori, Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame an ex-seven swordsmen, Orochimaru was once part of them and then there's Hidan a Janshin or something worshipper and his money grabbing partner Kakuzu. The others are very well hidden or given multiple names."

"How do you know the last two? The first we've had encounters with and Naruto must have told you of his story with them." Gai stated curiously. "Even we have little knowledge of them."

"Have you heard of Lord Toko?" Richochet looked forward and Neji snapped his head to hers.

'_You are Lord Toko, correct?_' Neji questioned.

Her eyebrow rose. It was the first time he'd willingly used their line and it meant even more than he'd ever know to her and the beast as warmth echoed through her chest and she had to repress her roar of glee. '_Yes. Keep it secret. I am supposedly the second. The right hand man so to speak. No one but Jiraiya, Naruto and now you know. Ibiki interrogated me on this also, but he doesn't know._'

"Yes."

"I am his Lightning Mistress, his second in command. I do what he wills." She let a funny look cross her face. '_So I literally do whatever I want in his name. We can blame everything on him._'

Neji shook his head in disbelief, landing on a branch and lifting off again. '_You cheeky, cunning little so and so._'

'_I know. I'm so proud of me._'

He chuckled.

"Does Lord Toko trust you?"

"He's never told me."

'Why_ would I ask myself that?_'

"Is he after the Jinchuuriki also?" Gai questioned her, hoping for the negative.

And receiving it.

"His aim is not for the demon holders." Richochet stated and then jumped once again, sensing the animal summoning coming at them. Weasels sure were helpful. "He merely holds respect and fear. He also owns several villages and plots of land, not to mention the growing love of him for bringing such good tidings. But no one apart from me has ever really seen him. It is said he is making an army, but that is not really so."

'_I feel things from you?_' Neji questioned. '_I can feel the summoning from more than eighty plus miles away._'

The weasel demon looked at him, eyes glowing. '_The demonic beauty of it all. In close quarters, we feel what each other does, emotions and other wise. Though it might be a bit fuzzy, almost. But if we feel it strongly enough it will be obvious._'

"He _owns_ villages? How rich is this man?"

"Lord Toko takes from those who took from the villages and rebuilds them with his money and let's those stay there, giving a very small rent in return. The villagers owe a lot to him…" She murmured. Then the dual haired female chuckled. "He doesn't really care. He just wants people to know who's boss and who's the one who is great. Arrogant, he is."

Neji smirked at her. "Like you?"

She gave a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. "Neji, I have a reason to be arrogant, unlike you." She put her hands up, closing her eyes and he shoved her away from him. They began hurling insults at each other.

"Stay over there, your inflated head is blocking my space." He said bluntly, turning forward again.

"Ha! Use your eyes to see through then. Or aren't they good enough?"

"Your head's too thick."

"Filled with knowledge and power. Yours just has fluff and a 'space for sale' sign in it."

Neji glared at her and she gave him a haughty look back.

"I win."

"Never."

"Yuh-huh."

"We're not finished yet."

"Are you slow? I won."

"Slow? I can beat you in a race anytime."

"I think not, snail."

"Snail? There's nothing slimy about me. Your personality on the other hand…"

Richochet scoffed. "Puh. _My_ personality is fine. _Yours_ on the other hand…"

"…"

"…"

The group was silent, waiting for Neji's comeback.

"Tree!" He called and she turned around, expecting to see a tree in front of her.

Nothing.

She looked at his triumphant face.

"…Oh, you suck." She twitched at that. "Big time."

He just 'hmph-ed' with that damn smirk.

She growled in annoyance at his smugness. "…I'll reach that flippin' summoning first! Let's race!"

Richochet was determined to get face back.

"Done."

"Summoning?" Gai interrupted before they could sprint off.

Neji and Richochet blinked at him and then remembered they hadn't told the others of the incoming dog yet.

"Yeah, a pug mutt. At least, I'm sure it's that kind."

Neji switched his Byakugan on.

"It has a Konohagakure hitae-ate on."

"I see Kakashi's chakra around it." Richochet informed them and the other relaxed a bit, Kazangan eyes on, but she didn't just see one trail. There was one huge trail of chakra behind and to her left. Akatsuki? It wasn't certain. She felt it better not to stir up trouble yet. "I take it as it's his summoning."

Gai perked up. "Pakkun?!"

Neji nodded. "Yes, him."

Richochet shrugged. "If that is his name, then yes."

The mutt appeared. "Yo!" It held up a paw in greeting. "We've been summoned to get on the trail-"

"Of Akatsuki's scent." Gai nodded and nodded a head towards the new addition. "Richochet communicated that to us from Naruto."

Pakkun looked over to her and shied backwards slightly at her scowling look. "You're exactly like that brat?"

"In terms of species… Yes."

"Figures. His best friends seem to be the same these days."

Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

The dog scratched behind his ear, completely ignoring her amounting irritation. "They're located at River country, between Suna and Konoha villages."

"I've been there." Richochet turned to Tenten. "The old man who likes the clothes lives there. We should go meet him after this. He's presumptuous but harmless. One of Jiraiya's contacts."

Tenten hummed in acknowledgement.

"Currently, we are closest to Akatsuki than anyone else." Pakkun stared at the half demon, watching as she stepped forward toward Neji very discreetly yet unintentionally, looking towards where Pakkun came from. The others seemed unsettled, gulping slightly. He stood up on all fours, looking bored as always. "I'll explain on the way."

"Alright! Move out!" Gai called, following the dog quickly.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

'_Just do it, my slave._' A voice whispered into an ear. 

Red eyes twitched as they watched a procedure happen slowly, invisible by the power by the dark being whispering so insidiously, so beautifully, so horrifically, and so lovingly into his ear. "_Why_ would I want to do this?" He murmured back. "It makes no sense."

'_He could be of use to us._'

"Mana, I don't think-"

'_Then _don't_ think and just do, my little prince._'

"Prince…" The word echoed in his mind temptingly. "Nice word."

'_The perfect word for your descriptions._' Queen Mana said sweetly, and he fell completely under her spells and charms. '_Don't you want to do it for us? For me? For you?_'

"I…" It was just so _tempting_, the thought of power, that he couldn't deny its call, not heeding the warning of his instincts. "…Very well."

'_Good boy, Rakuin._' Queen Mana smiled. '_Or rather… Rakuin's lovely brother. So much better than the original._'

The 'brother' smiled warmly. "For My Queen Mana."

'_You really are the charmer._' The being giggled demurely. '_So like him…_'

"Who?" He whispered as he performed a set of hand seals, hands like blurs of colour and motion as his speed went up. He concentrated on the hand seals, making sure he didn't mess it up. Clapping his hand together, he made another final sign and his fists glowed with chakra, very subtle in his actions.

'_Never you mind._' She sniffed, and pushed the subject away from his head. '_Just get on with it, my charming little prince. You want this don't you? All this victorious glory? With my guidance, you will get it. And I, my revenge._'

"Yes…" Black hair was huffed out of the vision. "Reikon Kansen no jutsu." The male smiled with a distinctive dark glint in his eyes as the technique went into action, unnoticed by all. "Activate."

A vibration circled him before invisibly shooting its way to the still body of Gaara floating in a huge bowl shape glob of chakra.

"Success."

'_Now get out of there, love._'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

They quickly found desert and Richochet glared up at her stalker cloud. 

"Isn't it odd that cloud is there?" Tenten stared up at it. "It's… like it's following us."

"Following me."

The other four looked at her.

"It won't leave, so I'll send it ahead." She put her hand into the usual tiger concentration hand sign.

The cloud rumbled a little as it answered her demands, racing ahead eagerly. They lost their shade and the heat blasted into him. Richochet swore irreverently internally. She hated this damn heat. She would prefer humidity over dryness anytime. Why did Gaara have to live around here again and have control over sand?

'_Well, 'ttebayo, he did have the sand demon in him._'

'_Sand demon my arse, Naruto._' She scoffed mentally at the thought. '_It would be better for me if he lived nearer._'

Naruto laughed in his mind. '_Because the whole world has to revolve around you right?!_'

'_Of course it has to. Who's the one protecting the life on it with you, Naru-?!_' Her head snapped up as she saw a rather large incoming chakra source. "Incoming chakra source!"

'_Richochet?!_'

She paused in her running, trying to figure out where it was. Large amounts of it were everywhere and her Kazangan could pick the trail up but it was if he were everywhere or at least been everywhere to have a strong equal trail. "Neji, a little help!" Her eyes narrowed, more energy pulsing into them to pick up a smaller trail.

Neji jumped back to back with her. "Byakugan!"

A few quiet seconds passed as the Lee, Gai and Tenten watched them, waiting somewhat patiently. Only the heavy breathing from the five was heard as well as the short sounds of dust moving. A tense silence was made. The two snapped their heads to the south from where they came from.

"Behind us!"

A huge something or other covered in bandages slammed from the ground and Richochet bent into a beginning form of the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist, seeing it filled with chakra. She identified it as a different sword. "Tenten, please hand me my swords."

They were shoved into her hands as she rose from the form and held the handles tightly, ready to go but ready to jump more. The others bent down ready to jump from the tunnelling sword as well.

WHAM!

They landed away from the devastation the missing-nin created viciously with his overly destructive weapon. The amount of chakra the guy had was crazy. Did he, too, have a demon inside him, despite joining up with Akatsuki? Richochet frowned, trying to remember what she'd heard of this mist-nin but could only remember his name and his weapon from what Jiraiya told her.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"_And that concludes what I know on Uchiha Itachi." Jiraiya spoke seriously, eyes narrowed in dislike. "His comrade is Hoshigaki Kisame. His skin is as light as the sky, eyes as beady as a sharks and is from the Mist."_

_Richochet snorted. "Figures."_

_Jiraiya ignored her as Naruto and Kino grinned. "What we know of him is little. However, we've seen him Naruto and you've felt the effects of his sword. I believe his sword is part of a summoning contract from a demon. Most likely the Sanbi, the water demon. As demons, you two can create extremely handy weapons."_

"_We can? Cool, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed. "How?"_

"_How should I know?" Jiraiya said in confusion, raising a brow at him. "I'm not a demon. You tell me."_

"_Tch." Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. "Thought you would've known…"_

_The old man rolled his eyes, looking out the window. "Anyways. Hoshigaki is one of the main ones to look out for. Richochet, you don't know this but his sword sucks energy like a caterpillar eating leaves; endlessly."_

"_Extremely handy, indeed." She noted, nodding. "Can he use this energy?"_

"_What would be the point of it if he couldn't?"_

"_Eh, true. So that's why he has this tremendous amount of energy? Hmm…" Richochet gave a thought to that but moved on quickly. "And as he is from the Mist… could he possibly be one that uses water techniques?"_

"_Which is why I want you to defeat him personally, girly." Jiraiya pointed at her. "Or at least seal away that damn weapon of his. With Lightning at your command…" He trailed off, putting his pointing hand down._

"_Oi, scroll master?" She nodded. "You've got a scroll for me that _does_ seal it, right?"_

_Jiraiya laughed nervously and stood up. "I'll, er, just… go on and see."_

_Richochet, Naruto and Kino chimed in unison, giving him dry looks._

"_Lame."_

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet quickly dove for her scroll holder, de-summoning her twin swords while swiping her thumb along a razor edge before it went. She grabbed her scroll, and putting it mind what she wanted, swiped it along the side, slashed it open and put her thumb on the correct symbol, taking the five small scrolls and closing it. 

"Guys." She got their attention.

"What is it, ma'am?!" Lee shouted, staring at her with large feminine eyes.

She twitched at the term he picked up. "Use these scrolls to seal that damn chakra sword of his. Jiraiya prepared me for this meeting."

"What?" Neji demanded, turning veined face to stare at her with a scowl, creating a fearsome look for anyone to stare into. "Why would he _make_ you go into such danger?"

Her lips thinned, ignoring the content she felt at his protectiveness. "For one, because of our opposing elements. I have the advantage. Two, I'm strong enough to face him. And, Three, because his partner, who he usually hangs around, is after Naruto and maybe myself who _I_ usually hang around."

Tenten frowned in confusion, staring at her worriedly. "Why would they be after you _and_ Naruto?"

Richochet merely stared at the man appearing through the dust, sword over shoulder and she chucked each of them a sealing scroll.

Neji stared at the demoness noting her hesitance. He spoke up. "It's not important now Tenten. Hoshigaki Kisame is." Neji remembered his name from the memory his student had.

'_Oi! Richochet! Itachi's in front of us!_'

'_And we've got Itachi's partner, Hoshigaki._' Richochet replied staring at the male in front of her warily. '_The last person I went up with this much power in him was a while back. And you and Jiraiya don't count._'

Naruto was frowning. '_It was that Kabuto right? He went after you since you didn't reply to that letter you got before we went on this trip._'

'_Yes, but Kabuto didn't have as much chakra as this guy does._' Richochet stated, looking to her left as Gai tried to remember where he'd seen this guy. Or if he had. '_Kabuto was different with his style. Kabuto's harder I believe, due to his mastery with his chakra scalpels and his medical knowledge. We were both close range, but he screwed my body over so my muscles were backwards. I got him in the end when he freaked at the sight of you and Jiraiya._'

'_Teamwork!_'

Kisame summoned a huge amount of water and they jumped out of the way. Richochet rode the currents by water walking easily, doing the motions of ice skating to get around quicker.

'_Luck on my part, more like it._' She grinned a bit, her cloak soaking somewhat. '_Still, it was fun. And this water is absolutely delightful._'

'…_**FUN?!**_'

She fell over at the loudness and the anger. Everyone stared at her as she held her head, standing back up slowly. Neji grabbed the back of her cloak and hefted her up more.

"What are you _doing_ at a time like this?" Neji asked lowly, glaring at the enemy.

"Fucking Kyuubi brat!" She whispered harshly to him. "Remind me to smack him."

"Done."

"Oh-ho? And what do we have over here?" Kisame said, his laughing voice reaching them and making them stiffen. "A couple of lovebirds? And what happened to the female? Too much heat? Take off the cloak, love, maybe it'll help." He laughed boisterously.

Richochet glared at him, smirking fakely. "You know. If you weren't with Akatsuki, I could learn to like you."

Kisame laughed again. "Ha! You don't seem half bad either, kid!"

Richochet growled and snapped her lightning medallion off her cloak and then swept her cloak off, showing the clothes she was wearing. "What? I don't think there's anything kiddish about this body, arsehole!"

"Well, well, well. You're a woman, indeed." He eyed her legs. "Fabulous pins, darling."

She smirked, summoning her cloud nearer to her, biding for time. "Why, thank you. Comes with the job."

'_Are you… __**flirting**__ with him?!_'

'_Flirting? Merely, distracting. Using my womanly wiles._'

Naruto burst out laughing.'_…Stop making me laugh! I'm getting stared at by the others and even Itachi showed some emotion! He raised an eyebrow!_'

'_Whatever. Remember to use the Negative jutsu on him if you can without him seeing. If he knows it and copies it we're screwed. We need that jutsu hidden as well as you can!_'

Neji stared at her, somewhat pissed off, somewhat jealous, somewhat more than aroused and somewhat curious as to what she was conversing with to Naruto on this secret Jutsu. Was it a forbidden jutsu? And why couldn't Itachi copy it? Was it that good? Or was it that handy for this particular fight with the Uchiha in it?

Richochet winked at him.

The Hyuuga took that as a 'Yes' to his questions.

"How can he create such a great amount of water?" Tenten gasped at the sheer volume of it all. "Unbelievable."

Richochet grimaced as her wet feet. "You should see the amount of fire Naruto can produce in a technique, Ten. This, however, is certainly enough for a few hundred showers."

"You know, this is the wrong time to say it and all, but you speak correctly and stuff." Tenten looked at her. "Your Japanese is pronounced correctly instead of using slang."

"I never realised." The weasel half demon said dryly. "For shame."

Tenten contortioned her face a little at the tone of the reply. "Yeowch."

The five jumped up as a huge wave hit where they stood.

Richochet landed in the water, using her water walking again. "TEAM GAI! Jump as high as you can!"

They looked at each other before trusting her, jumping high into the air.

"Chidori Nagashi." She said calmly and golden lightning with red hues sparked around her threateningly. The water conducted it instantly and the water clone that was surfing at them disappeared with a quick shout, sparks surrounding him and clawing at him. She pulsed far more into him than a human could stand, concentrating on his chakra signals.

"GRAAAAGGGGHHH!!"

"Got you." A wicked smirk fell onto her face as the scent of death drifted to her. Her head suddenly felt light as the force of the lightning slammed back into her, coming back from the dead body. She shuddered as pins and needles ran through her body, momentarily numbing her. Usually there were more bodies around to kill and lightning was attracted to the bodies to get to the gorund or to her once again, so when the lightning did come back it was usually just a pleasant buzz.

The water thinned out immediately and Richochet was caught by Neji easily as she fell to the ground. A different type of sparks lit inside her body at touching him and she felt every inch touching him inflame with desire against his hard abdominals. She had to concentrate on _not_ touching him as they fell to the ground through the now slightly humid air.

Inside her beast snarled and pounded against her will as her mind ached and weasel marks darkened dangerously and the curl became jagged like a swirling thunder bolt.

'**Taste! Touch! SMELL!**'

She took in a deep breath of him. The scent of sea water echoes off of him from the technique and of course, the bit of sweat. It was natural and there was no secret scent of lavender his skin produced or some shit like that, but there was the very definite smell of human. A delicate scent, hard to define but to a demon is powerful. It delighted the beast inside the demon.

She could also smell the shampoo he used.

'_My shampoo mixed with mint instead of just Lychee and Cherries? Uh, why?_'

Neji blinked at her before turning away, embarrassed. She shuffled out of his hold and they paused, unsure what to do. Richochet clenched her head again, restraining the sensual weasel from gripping its claws into the grown male. Gai, Lee and Tenten jumped over to them.

"Are you two okay?" Tenten asked hurriedly and then turned to Richochet. "Richochet-chan, does your head hurt?"

"You could say that." Neji replied for her, putting a hand on her weasel spot on the crown of her head and rubbing. "We're fine. A lot of lightning sometimes does this to her. I'll carry her until we get there."

Richochet whimpered slightly as the beast salivated at touching more of his body. '_You bastard, Neji._'

He merely, gave her his bag and turned away from her and ducked down.

First ducking down to her legs, she took the weights off them, as well as from inside her top and wrists. Taking out her first scroll, she sealed the weights and her cloak along with the medallion into the scroll and slid it back in. His back was knocked onto her shoulder tightly.

Gulping, she moved forward, keeping up the pretence everything wasn't lusty between the two. Heat physically slammed into her body as she touched his shoulder, feeling the pure huge muscles in those broad shoulders. She didn't realise until that moment the most appealing thing about a male body to her was the shoulders and arms when she was lifted up easily by the male on his back.

Pakkun raced over. "Good work girly. That must've taken a nice chunk out of your chakra reserve."

"Only my lightning reserve." She mumbled, looking anywhere that didn't have Neji in her view. And she was shy now, why?

"H-Hey! Who is that? He's not that blue skinned man we fought!?" Tenten gasped as they moved over to the man on the floor in Akatsuki clothing and the same sword strap attached to his torso as Kisame had. "Are you sure you don't know him?"

Gai shook his head in dismay, crossing his arms. "I may not remember Hoshigaki Kisame, but I've no idea who this man could be." He sighed.

"What on Earth does this mean?" Lee asked suddenly.

"I don't know, Lee." Gai frowned.

'_Naruto? Our Kisame is not the real deal. It is likely yours isn't._' Richochet reported, getting her mind off of the hotness that was Neji. '_Make it quick._'

'_I just did an Oodama Rasengan. You were right._' Naruto growled in her mind. '_It's some guy name Yuura from the Sand._'

"Did he hide himself with a Henge the whole time?"

"No." Richochet shook her head, hands on Neji's shoulders and keeping it strictly professional. Damn if his hair wasn't beyond silkiness. It felt like liquid satin on the base of his head. Shit, what did he use and how much was it?

"It was a higher level technique, much higher than that." Neji responded, adding on to her answer, voice deep and calm in a masculine tenor. "Only high level shinobi could do that."

Dear Shinigami-sama, did _his_ voice do hell to her body.

"So, the real enemy is still in his hideout, huh?" Tenten said, checking her scroll was still ready to be used at a moment's piece. "This was just a delaying tactic."

Neji nodded. "And to learn of our abilities. Thankfully, we have given barely anything away."

Lee nodded. "Even if so, we can't stay here all day."

"We have to hurry on then." Gai said.

Pakkun spoke up. "It's this way."

Neji smoothly ran off, bounding away gently and lulling her into a sleep.

'_Too much sleep…Makes you sleepy._' Her last thought drifted to Neji and a small smile took to his lips, enjoying the trust she gave away by sleeping on him.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Rakuin, having slept fitfully, slammed up from his bed, a cold sweat making a layer of dampness soak his sleeping dark blue kimono. He took in deep breaths to calm down his crazed heart beating an erratic rhythm in his chest, taking some moments to calm himself down. 

"What kind of dream was that…?" He asked himself in disbelief, looking outside the window at the quiet town he presided over protectively. "It was not normal; in any way, shape or form…"

He tried remembering the dream fully, but only gave bits and pieces of it back.

_Draconic beings breathing down into a body._

_The hum of chakra._

_An identity still not uncovered but very much familiar, yet not._

_Red._

_Floating._

_Why am I... _

_...not needed?_

Rakuin tried to make sense of it.

"A… type of sacred… thing?" He murmured to himself, unsure. He tried to remember stories of myths he heard as a small child. "A sacrifice, even? Like the Minotaur in the maze… or the story of George and the Dragon." His mind connected the dots as fast as he could in his sleep filled mind. "I know it's something important."

The Mizukage flopped back onto the bed with a huff, frowning, knowing he wouldn't get sleep until he figured it out, hands behind his head and one leg over the over. His foot tapped an irritated continuous strike against the bed.

Damnit, what was it?

Something important.

Too important.

Then it struck him.

"Sacrifice with human… Power of the Human Sacrifice. Jinchuuriki. Red… Kazekage-sama!" He sat up, looking distressed with the information he had just gotten to in his mind. About to rush out and gather a platoon he stilled, extremely troubled. "Is he in _actual_ trouble?"

Oh, how he hated dreams.

'_I wouldn't worry, little prince._' Queen Mana stated in boredom. '_Dreams are just that, dreams._'

'Mana, I don't think that was just a dream.'

'_Well, what did you dream?_'

'I can't tell you.'

'_Why not?_'

Rakuin growled in the back of his throat, and, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep from now on, sat up. 'Let's make that I _won't_ tell you instead of can't.'

'_Tch. That's not nice, Rakuin. After what I gave you? And I'd know you'd like more._'

Rakuin scowled. 'Go back to sleep.'

'_Fine._' She went from his mind, presence gone.

He stilled. 'So fast?' Usually, the woman would stick around in his mind, enjoying making him what to rip his hair from his head. This was far too quick for her to give up. She must have been tired, more so than usually. Doing what though? What did Mana being tired have to do with his dream?

He felt a fury grasp him. 'What the hell have you been doing, you damned Queen?!'

No reply.

'So… you were at a ceremony… or a sacrifice.'

'_What did you just say?_' Her voice demanding but tentative.

'…So it's true. Gaara has been captured hasn't he?'

'_Puh. I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about it. The other Jinchuuriki are going with backups to get him back._'

Rakuin sighed in relief, feeling a whole lot better at that piece of information. "So I don't need to go." He fell back asleep slowly, a frown on his features.

'_No. Though it could have been fun._'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Hours later and Richochet woke up blearily, covered in warmth, neck to toe, as well as the warmth on her right cheek. She was leaning against something hard and masculine and looked into silvery white clothing. 

"…?" She looked up into silvery lavender eyes that clashed against her own glowing lava orbs. "Neji. We have stopped?"

"Running all day is wearing on us." The Hyuuga replied slowly, having no need to hurry. He turned to the fire, shifting back to lean against the tree in a meditative pose. "You've been sleeping the whole time. The jutsu Tsunade cast upon on you seems to still be affecting you."

"Tch." Richochet yawned straight after grunting, curling closer to him. "Flippin' old hag. Making me lose my edge. If that faker was real, I would've had a very slight problem on my hands… Looking after you lot and then having to dispose of him…"

Neji rolled his eyes. "Egotistical."

"I had you and Jiraiya as teachers. I have a reason to be egotistical. I get it from you." Richochet murmured quietly, smirking in the darkness at him smugly.

He chuckled.

"Just admit you're arrogant and be done with it."

She scoffed.

"I've _surpassed_ arrogance, Neji-sensei."

"Indeed."

Richochet looked up at the other three and the dog, feeling watched.

They waved to her sheepishly.

"Got a problem?"

"No!" The answer was chimed loudly, upsetting the easy silence. "No problem!"

"Jeeze…" She took off the blanket, staring at it in confusion as she stood up liquidly. Her head cocked to Neji. "Is this your blanket?"

"Hm." He nodded, collecting it from her after she folded it a few times. "You've not sealed my bag." He held it up and opened it quickly, folded it once more and stashed it inside. "I have some questions to ask you."

"As have I. I'll ask _just _one now."

Neji nodded in assent.

"Could you ask later? Currently, getting Gaara to safety is foremost in my mind. I do not want to think on even more things and move away from my objective." She faced her body towards River Country, frowning at the thought.

"Yes!" Gai agreed loudly, since they were the only noise apart from the fire in the middle of camp and you couldn't just _not_ hear them. "We'll go twice the pace!"

"Yosh! We'll go three times the pace!"

"No, four!" Gai added on and Lee jingled with energy.

"YOSH!"

Richochet twitched and then faced them challengingly. "I bet you couldn't."

"Wait." Neji interrupted, crossing his arms, having shrugged the bag onto his shoulder beforehand. "We're not making a challenge out of this. Anyway, that's impossible."

"It's true." Tenten nodded in agreement with the other sane person in this group, seeing as Richochet was slowly, in her opinion, being dislodged from sanity because of the elastic green wearing beings from Mars. "That's far too much ground to cover."

"No, it's not." She denied stubbornly. "I could do it. For Gaara."

Lee nodded and jumped in front of her. "That's the youthful spirit!"

"YES!" Gai added in.

"Youthful, doubtful. My training was just off the charts with Jiraiya." Richochet sighed, crossing her arms. "And with that blonde stamina freak I call a friend… Meh, I'm fast. Lee, let's race." She pointed to herself. "I carry Tenten, you carry Neji." She pointed to him. "Gai with Pakkun."

"Done!"

"NO!" Neji, Tenten and Pakkun denied loudly.

The other three frowned. "Why not?"

"…"

"See, it's a done deal."

"Yes Muay Thai-sensei!" Lee saluted proudly.

"Tenten?" Richochet crouched down next to her. "Hold tight?"

"…F-Fine." She said and jumped onto the other girls back. "I'll hold tight."

"Brilliant." Richochet smirked and then jumped away quickly. "Later LEE!!" She called back mockingly, picking up speed and appearing as the wind does, a small blur of colour.

Pakkun huffed. "Why's that weasel faster than a canine? Puh."

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Dawn approached just as quickly and with that rising of the sun, it brought the rising of Richochet's anger. 

'_Naruto… control it damnit! You're making me pissed off!_'

Her whiskers darkened once more from a different emotion and it made her teeth grit. Her teeth sharpened and acidic drips of liquid drained down her throat. Nails pierced her flesh as they strengthened. Her back was tense, and muscles coiled inside her skin, under pumping veins of blood that heated her to the core.

'_But Gaara… He never had any friends like we did! He was just used… used like you!_' Naruto growled in her mind, and she knew he was turning to a more demonic look as well. Maybe he had before her. '_But… You had people… you had Shoko and me! And Neji and Hinata! Gaara… He didn't even have his family because they were scared of him…_'

'_He… was all alone._'

And that just pissed her off even more.

'_He didn't even have his siblings liking him… They feared him…_'

Tenten looked at her as they sat on the small cliff overlooking the gate and boulder. They were way ahead of Neji, Lee, Gai and Pakkun. She put her hand up warily, wanting to put her hand on the girls shoulder but hesitating.

"Ne, Richochet…? Are you okay…?" She asked in a small voice, hating the stammer in it.

"Gaara's behind that boulder. And Gaara's… barely even a keeping a chakra trace."

Richochet looked at her with the one visible eye she had.

Tenten gasped and moved back and Richochet stood. She followed the eye, the glow that it left behind before disappearing was so hypnotic... so terrifying… so fearful… "Your eye… is fully red!"

The girl fainted.

Richochet smiled sadly. "You are a strong girl. To look directly into a demons eye and not want to kill yourself... Admirable. Even that old coot, Jiraiya, felt it. I knew there was a reason I liked you."

'_Naruto… Your anger made me angry and I made Tenten faint. Where are you? I feel you coming with my Kazangan, but you seem far. No wait… Your anger has built up your chakra and the normal level of chakra you have is left behind as a scent and so it feels like your still back there but you really are much closer._'

'_You're right. I'm… Sorry._' He ground out, but did mean it. '_Is Gaara…?!_'

'_There is a very small trace of chakra that is his. Two medium chakra levels are there as well._'

Naruto snarled in his mind. '…_We're close. Where's the others of your group? I picked that thought up, you know._'

'_They're nearly here._' She bent down to her haunches and tapped the girls' cheek, her anger in check and personality more human like. Tenten moaned and opened her eyes. "You okay, girl?"

"I… red… you… eye!" Tenten shuffled back.

"I was angry at how they had treated Gaara and let that anger run over me." She cocked her head to the side. "I did not mean to upset you. Look." Richochet pointed to the boulder and the small piece of rectangular paper. "I have determined that seal to be a five-timed seal. Meaning there is five of them that must be taken off at the same time. Something may happen afterwards, however, so be ready for anything."

Tenten listened to that lulling sarcastic toned voice instead of her own instincts. "Understood Seishou-Taichou!" The Weapons Mistress blinked and then waved her hands up in the attempt to save herself with fumbling, stuttering words. "I-I mean… It's just that you sounded so much like a leader and-"

"Don't worry." The Lightning Mistress shook her head. "I'm just used to being bossy and ordering people around and expecting results." She grinned sardonically to herself. "Do you have a way of communicating with the others automatically?"

"Yes, we have neck radios that we can put on the same wavelength."

"Wavelength…?" Richochet replied to herself, unsure.

Tenten smiled at her naivety to technology. "It just means it's a channel we can communicate on within seconds. It's what you asked for. This can help us with our timing. What do you know of the seal?"

Richochet let a breath of air fly out of her lungs. "It's a security measure for sure and it may explode or create more of those Akatsuki clones. Luckily, you've spent little chakra or energy on just running. Naruto's team has gone and beaten an Itachi copy and expended more energy than we as a team have. I'll join them while you four will open them up. It is most likely Kakashi will open this fifth one here."

Tenten nodded. "You learnt this from Jiraiya."

"He's pretty much the authority on seals and summoning's of all kinds." Richochet smirked at her before looking back to the seal. "I went for more seals while Naruto went for more Genjutsu's. Between you and me, I've probably the ability to crack the Hyuuga curse seal and will be trying when we reach home. Don't tell, understood?"

Tenten's eyes glimmered. "Really? He's like a brother to me! It'll mean the world to him! After all it _has_ been his world…" She trailed off sadly. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Much appreciated." Richochet opened her first scroll. She took out some red apples she kept in there. "Here. Your choice."

Tenten grabbed one with a smile.

"Thanks."

Richochet just bit into her one with a small smirk. "They're filled with chakra. Naruto invented these for kicks. He also has the same fondness I have for them. Not like ramen or lemon pops, but close as. They'll actually expand your capacity double the amount. But your body can only ever have one. Or you'll die. My one has no chakra in it, which is why you instinctively took the one that has."

Tenten looked at it in shock before slowly tasting a bite. "They don't taste different."

"Poison shouldn't."

The Weapons Mistress grinned. "Poison is also a weapon I can use with mastery. That's my secret. I can make them as easily as Sakura can create antidotes."

Richochet eyed her approvingly.

"We all need a hidden talent."

"Mhm. These work instantly don't they?"

"You have to eat it all. Core, pips, stalk and all. They're going on the black market soon. Naruto will sell it along one of my contacts lines." Richochet said idly.

"You'll be rich."

"Already am, Poison Mistress."

Tenten laughed happily.

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Next will come out pretty soon. Promise. Did ya like? New plots and mystery rolling in soon!

Plus, my friend Zero had asked to publish this in Spanish for me! What do you guys think of that? We're going into Spanish version now, people! If you know Spanish then check it out when it comes out! Top up on your reading Spanish in an enjoyable way! Thanks **Z.A.**!

_Ten Words:_

_Chiyo. Water Fights. Slap! Intimate. Keys. Challenge. Weasella-kun? Final Words._

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**R.**

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	30. Chapter XXX

**Yo! how's everyone? Sorry for not replying._ No one_ got replied to. And to who assumed I saw V for Vendetta... Uh, I haven't sorry. Though I do know it's about a dude with a Guy Fawkes mask on his gob. Godzilla? Lol. Shy, Richochet? Nevarh! Distracting indeed? Yup! Yeah, so those are a little comments I thought when I read the reviews. And I read each one too.**

**Hugs and yawns (What? I'm seriously wiped out!) too...**

_Zero-Asakura - Frozen Tempest - lilmeika - Sanya12 - Blood Zephyr - Depressing Truths - Hibiki-chan - Joster13 - Silver Mononoke - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Neko of Light - Ugly.Beautiful - Kimura Akira _

_Hey look... It's Chapter XXX! XD! _

_Okay, energy gone... Onwards... (yawn)_

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**Chapter Thirty**

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The others appeared a good twenty minutes after the girls started eating. The boys looked at them with put out looks as they smirked and grinned back up at them.

"You took your time, gentlemen." Tenten said with a small scoff, crossing her arms. "We got here ages ago!"

"Didn't take you long to rub off on her, Richochet." Neji raised a brow to his student and sighed in fake disappointment.

"I'm-"

"Let me guess." Neji replied dryly as she scowled at him. "You're just that good?"

"…" She scoffed to herself. "Whatever. Gai…" She then filled in on what she had learnt once more, Tenten taking out her two radios and the others followed suit. Neji handed his spare to Richochet, clipping it on for her around the soft electric coloured fur and channelled hers on the right wavelength.

Lee leaned to Tenten and whispered in her ear as the two weren't listening and sorting out the channels. "He takes a lot of care over her, Tenten. It's odd to see that. I'm used to him only bothering with himself, though sometimes he helps you."

Tenten nodded. "As his unofficial little sister, I have to agree. It's… different, but it's nice."

Richochet huffed. "Stop fussing, you bloody Hyuuga."

"Shut up. I making sure you're in contact with me at all times from now on. No running away, either." Neji stated as he finally finished his work and stroked the fur once to calm her down. It immediately worked and she settled down, a funny look on her face. "It get's harder from now on."

"Ah, go fuss over Lee. He carried you." Richochet pushed his hand away, annoyed at being babied with. Some people might get fuzzy feelings over being look after like that, but it felt as if he thought she couldn't do anything for herself. And she didn't like it.

"_You're_ my responsibility." Neji replied logically. "Even if the mission to look after you is over."

"Whatever you say."

"Exactly. Whatever _I_ say."

"Tch. At least move aside so I can welcome Naruto."

"Hn." He stepped to the left acquiescently. Turning he faced the direction his Byakugan showed the blonde to come in.

Naruto dropped down from the trees and landed silently, blinking at the others and then grinning foxily. He grabbed his jacket and opened it up and twirled around, showing off the newer, bigger body that made him look older than he actually was, and filled with muscles. Seeing as he was wearing tight leather pants and a simple vest with his orange jumpsuit jacket in reverse colours on top of that with his specialised boots, he looked to be in excellent condition.

Lee gasped in shock. "Naruto! You've really changed! Seriously! WOW!"

"Yeah!" Tenten agreed, appreciative. "You don't look much the old Naruto you know, apart from the same cheerfulness of course!"

"He has…?" Richochet said lightly, staring at the boy, guessing she never noticed much apart from the growth in body and maturity. "He doesn't look that different to me. Apart from the hair of course. Still as crazy as ever…"

"Hey…" Naruto pouted at her.

Gai smirked at the new arrivals that stepped down onto the water. "You're late Kakashi."

Kakashi waved a hello. "We ran into some trouble, Gai."

Sakura and an old lady landed next.

The old lady sighed. "Hey Kakashi, you weren't talking about me were you?"

"You guys were quicker than us?" Sakura blinked and moved forward. "Odd since we left first… Ah well. It's good seeing you all again!"

Tenten cocked her head to the side. "Who's the other person?"

Sakura smiled at her and put a palm facing the old woman. "This is the Sand's Senior Consultant, Chiyo-sama."

"Pleased to meet you!" Chiyo greeted them all with a wrinkled smile, waving happily.

"Shall we do this Kakashi?"

"Yes."

'_Hold on Gaara._' Naruto muttered darkly in his mind.

Richochet glared at the boulder. '_I know this chakra… Whose is it?_'

"Our addition to our team has already figured it to be a five seal." Gai informed them. "I personally have no idea, but Richochet's seems to know what she's doing with seals."

Chiyo peered at the seal and nodded. "I agree. Hey, kid, who'd you learn that from."

"Ero-Sennin!" Naruto replied helpfully.

"Who?" Chiyo asked in confusion, her croaky voice not understanding.

"Sannin Jiraiya. We call him Ero-Sennin, though." Richochet filled in for her. "I'll fill you in as they get ready. Neji? Direct them please."

Neji nodded and told the four other co-ordinates to the team. "Got it?"

"YES!" Lee and Gai cheered and left.

Tenten nodded calmly. "I'm off! Good luck!" She disappeared in a blur of motion.

Neji stared at the demonic weasel steadily, hands itching to reach out to her and grab her to him. "Be careful." He looked away from her, and away from that increasing urge to have her. "Don't get caught."

"I'm just too good for _that_, Neji."

Naruto smirked and put an arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll look after her!"

Neji scoffed but left them with a nod.

Richochet chucked Kakashi his radio first before giving them the rest. "Basically, they'll open _on_ the count of three when ready." Turning to Naruto and Sakura she added. "It's a five-timed seal. You already know what that means Naruto since you 'kind of' listened, but Sakura, that means there are five of these that need to come off at the same time. Kakashi will do this one. It's One hundred and seventy four. Or something. Sakura, you'll pound this at the same time they come off."

"Will do!" Sakura nodded gripping a bicep and showing her muscle. "You can count on me for super strength!"

She looked to Kakashi for confirmation.

The teacher simply jumped in front of the five seal barrier and gave her a thumb up.

Chiyo, Naruto and Richochet moved to the side.

"One," Sakura began running, "Two," her fist rose as Kakashi gripped a corner. "Three!"

**WHAM!**

Kakashi pointed inside. Richochet and Naruto went to the left, Sakura and Chiyo stayed to the right, and Kakashi himself stayed in front of the entrance.

Richochet's eyes widened. "Mizu…" Her teeth grit together as her eyes narrowed in fury. "You helped kill Gaara?!"

"I, myself, did." Mizu nodded solemnly, lips pulled to thin out. Her eyes were dull as they stared at her apologetically. "It's nothing personal against you. I have my own path to take that will converge over yours. He was someone I had to take down. Did you care for him a lot?"

"…He was one of us. Right, Naruto?"

"Yes. He was." Naruto started growling, face contorting into immense rage, muscled body shaking from keeping his anger in. "And he still is!"

The other one in there was hunched over in his Akatsuki garment, staring at them. "You." A deep voice called and the tail pointed at Naruto. "Are the Jinchuuriki?" His voice was dark and deep and he actually looked like a villain as shadows played across his features, tail wagging lazily and the scent of poison hit the two hanyou's in the room.

Naruto trembled with rage, eyes pure red and dying for blood to be spilt to avenge his comrade, and clenched his fists. "You bastards! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!" He shouted at them.

"He's definitely the Kyuubi one." Mizu stood up slowly. "Sasori no Danna. Let's split them up. Goodbye for now." She bit her thumb and smeared the liquid over the digits of her hand. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

A huge golden eagle stood next to her and lifted the dead body into its' oddly situated pouch on it's stomach with its mouth effortlessly. She jumped on it and let it swoop out of the place.

Richochet was about to follow the girl when she watched the old lady and Sakura. "Will you be needing me?" She itched to go after her but would stay back if needed.

Kakashi looked up to her. "I'll stay with them. You go with Naruto. You work well together?"

"Flowingly." She informed before disappearing in a blur of motion.

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"Shit." Richochet swore as she dodged one of Mizu's deadly bombs. "It's like dealing with a dreary Deidara. What's up with that?" It exploded behind them loudly and they winced at the sound that echoed through the canyon. 

"Where'd she learn this?!" Naruto called to her as he caught up, having paused not to get hit by some large heated debris after running and jumping for a good twenty minutes after her, not wanting some free style attack to blow both of the bodies up. "I bet Jiraiya doesn't even know this stuff! Or Deidara! Do you think she's really from here and left and then came back like you?!"

"That's the only answer for it." She said between gritted teeth as they parted, dashing away from a duck shaped bomb made of… Richochet blinked at the recognized scent. "…Was that _grass_?"

Naruto looked back and then dodged another bomb. "And that's a _mud_ bomb! It must be some kind of jutsu that uses the environment around you, yeah? In agreement?"

"Well, if the previous were logs like those we're jumping on, it must be." Richochet nodded, eyes narrowing as they dodged even more bombs of all kinds. "She's got good control over her chakra. I think these are guided until a certain distance. Like…. She's the main point in our glass point. You know, like our hearts in the ball. It hovers in one place."

"I get it! If we enter that glass ball we'll get homed onto!" Naruto smirked and jumped to the next log easily.

"How to go about getting in there's the problem." Richochet sighed, already knowing they'd need long distance and her abilities would go great in the fight. "My Lightning would be helpful, but the cloud is staying with Sakura, Kakashi and Chiyo. And Neji can call it if he needs to have some back up."

"You've got them pretty defended."

"For Gaara and for Neji."

"For Konoha." Naruto smirked and then turned to Mizu on her giant golden eagle. "And for our own desire for blood and revenge for our fallen comrade."

"Most definitely." She felt her weasel beast stir and growl in her mind, joined a second later by Naruto's bestial fox. Their blood pumped as they tracked down the murderess as if they were in a pack. And to them they were. Smirks littered their face.

'_Shall we go for fire?_'

'_Just don't burn down this country with your flames._'

'_Kage Bunshin yourself and hide somewhere behind her and then we'll get her to-_' Us two watched as she guided her bird to the air in front of them, dumped Gaara's dead body as if it were trash, letting it flow down to the pool of water. His body landed battered after smashing into several horizontal tree trunks. Or were those roots?

Mizu bowed to them before sweeping away, eyeing Richochet with a hopeful look as she went.

"It's as if she's planning something." The weasel growled.

"What matters now is Gaara, Richochet!" Naruto called and Richochet ran in to give backup just in case he needed it. "Who cares?"

Richochet pursed her lips and stopping her growl. '_This is not how Mizu would act. What does she know?_' She let go of her anger slowly, pushing back the beast inch by inch. '_I don't get this._'

Naruto was no help in it as his simple connection usually would be seeing as his own beast was driving him to go to Gaara as quickly as possible, and having less experience with a demanding demon he wouldn't be much help.

Neji wouldn't either even if she went after him; he'd just fuel her beast in a lustful path seeing as she was so hyped up.

"Richochet…"

The weasel demoness stared at the being in the Kage Bunshin and Naruto's grasp, sadly, brows drawn down.

"Gaara's….."

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The group formed in front of Gaara as Sakura exhaustedly glowed green healing energy into the lifeless body in front of her. Richochet and Naruto were in the front of the group watching intensely as she proceeded. 

'_They have his essence…_'

'_I don't even know what it is._'

'_But… he's _something_ because of it._'

'_What does this essence do to us?_'

'_I wish I knew…_'

'_Don't we both?_'

"We should have bullied the old man into giving us a regeneration technique or something." Richochet mumbled to the blonde angrily, who nodded in agreement, cracking a very weak wobbly smile. "All we learnt seems useless about now. We can only kill."

"We should have brought Kino too." Naruto put his hands to his face as Richochet put an affectionate and strong hand upon his hard shoulder and squeezed hard so he'd feel it. "Jiraiya taught him some medical stuff Tsunade-baa gave to Jiraiya in case of emergency! Hadn't he?!" He whispered harshly.

"Calm yourself." She murmured into his ear. "Do not awaken in such a way. Gaara would not think that a Hokage would do that, and definitely not a friend." Her lava eyes settled upon Sakura. "Haruno?"

Sakura moved her hands away and shook her head in denial.

Naruto and Richochet let shock fall out of them and anger welled up in her and sorrow in Naruto.

Her own words went missing in action.

"What do you mean you can't bring him back?!" Richochet snarled stepping forward to smack some sense into the pink haired beauty but was held back by Neji. "WE NEED HIM!"

"I-I can't do anything…" Sakura stood quickly and stepped back from her.

Richochet continued as her beast wept, crying out for their missing link. "Did she teach you NOTHING?!"

Naruto gripped his head and crouched down next to the lifeless blood headed male. His body clothed in deep red and maroon and black was cold to the touch as Naruto reached for his cheek. Naruto waited for aquamarine eyes rimmed in pure blackened skin to open and stare at him with amusement flittering through them while his face stayed thoughtfully blank.

The Hyuuga moved forward and grabbed her with both arms around her upper arms and collarbone and hugged her to him, letting his bag drop to the ground. "Ssh." Neji hushed through his lips at the struggling female and wondered why her demon strength hadn't knocked him away yet. "Richochet. Stop this. He is dead." He brought his mouth to her ear. "I don't like seeing you like this."

Words steaming through her mind to imprint themselves into her memory.

Neji said calmly, deep tone not what she remembered from the young teenage Neji she knew well. It calmed her beast with supreme ease and unsettled her. '_I don't, Richochet. This anger is not you._'

'_And WHAT is ME, HUH?!_' She snarled darkly in her mind to him and felt him stiffen. '_Because_ I _don't know! My life has never been my own!_'

'_And no one's life is their own._' He replied patiently, a small frown on his face as he spied the small anguished frown on her features. '_Other people need other people. More people need you more than you know!_'

Richochet looked to his face, staring into her Hyuuga's patient eyes. "Alright." She stilled, let her hair block her view. "Alright. Fine. I'll calm down, okay? I'm… calmer."

Neji let go and put his hands on her shoulders. He blinked in surprise and looked down to his hands, staring at her shoulders in shock. She had barely grown in the time they'd parted for training. Sure her figure had gotten distinctively feminine, the curves easily viewed when her cloak had gone and in such clothing that certainly befitted a tough cookie Kunoichi, but she hadn't gotten that much taller, hitting only five foot four. He himself had spurted to six foot.

"Girl, why do _you_ care so much after Gaara?" Chiyo asked.

Richochet looked at her blankly.

The old woman, who was breathing rather heavily after appearing very alive just a good half hour ago, looked rather dead. Her skin was more faded and sallow than before and drooped down in her sadness. She seemed to have more wrinkles than ever and hunched over slightly as if weary of the world and its harshness.

It was Kakashi who spoke up.

"She is Jinchuuriki also, Chiyo-baa-sama. Of the lightning weasel. The six tailed Raijuu, ex-god of lightning."

"Well _you_ know your demons." The girl muttered darkly.

Chiyo's eyes widened marginally before settling on the girl. "I see. Yes, Jinchuuriki eyes are absolutely marvellous. So much more depth than a humans' own. Though yours, my girl, are terrifying and intimidating. Yours, my boy, are very sorrowful and wild."

Richochet cocked her head and she exchanged thoughtful glances with Naruto as they stared at the eyes of each other.

"I didn't notice." Richochet said bleakly as she moved forward to wipe the tears from Naruto's left cheek with her right hand. Neji stepped back as Naruto ran into her arms and stuffed his fuzzy blonde and red head into her lean stomach, kneeling and gripping her tightly around the waist. She grasped him just as tightly.

"Why did he have to die?! He just became the Kazekage!" Naruto turned to the body and shouted at it. "YOU just became the KAZEKAGE! You're too much needed to JUST DIE!!"

Richochet nodded in agreement.

"Calm down, Uzumaki Naruto."

Blue eyes glared at the woman as he stood up and took steps to her. "SHUT UP!" He yelled to the old woman tears falling down his tanned whiskered cheeks. "SHUT THE HELL UP! IT'S YOUR FAULT! IF YOU GODDAMNED SAND SHINOBI HADN'T PUT THAT MONSTER INSIDE HIM! DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE BURDEN ON HIM? THE BURDEN ON _US?!_"

Richochet gripped her head as the waves of pain and grief of his slammed into her, multiplied by her own feelings and their beasts. She wobbled slightly, head light. The Hyuuga stabilised her automatically, falling to one knee himself so he could, let her lean against his inner thigh.

'_What's wrong?_'

'…_Naruto… I need to make sure he'll be alright… Shit…_' She suddenly swore as the emotional baggage started to pressurise her mind and gave her a huge headache. She put her fingers up to her temple and rotated them in a small massaging motion, trying to rid herself of it.

"WE NEED HIM! US TWO! MORE THAN YOU SAND SHINOBI EVER WOULD! You…. You have no right to act like you own us, like you're better and can do whatever you want with us!" Naruto yelled, his throat going sore and voice cracking, snarling at them with his, guttural sounding throat enraged eyes sneering at her.

Richochet closed her eyes, letting the pain fall from her eyes. Her head looked to the sky as she tilted it back and then opened her lids, baring the bright red demon eyes instead of her lava ones.

The fox male put his face into his elbow, his coat soaking up his salt tasting tears. "I couldn't save Sasuke… And I couldn't save Gaara! I trained for three years… And I couldn't save them! Nothing's… changed! WHY?! Richochet! What the hell have we been doing…?"

The weasel female remained perfectly silent, staring at the white clothed knee, silently carrying the most of his emotions for him as he wept and crumpled against Neji, almost as lifeless as Gaara. Neji held onto her more, becoming worried for his ex-student and current obsession.

The old woman passed the three and crept down to Gaara's side and started flushing chakra out of her wearied system.

'…_Naruto, hush. Watch._'

"That technique is-! Chiyo-baa-sama…!" Sakura widened her eyes in realisation before frowning sadly. "Oh. Oh…"

Chiyo remained unspoken at the girls understanding.

"Wha…?" Naruto stared at his childhood friend. "Sakura-chan?"

The jade eyes girl sighed. "That technique… will bring him back to life."

"Bring him… back to life?!"

Richochet looked up and smirked as much as she could in her weakened state. "Good."

"Do you really… know a jutsu like that?"

"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto."

Neji turned his Byakugan eyes on with a short burst of chakra his Seishou reacted to, turning to him enquiringly. '_That flow of chakra… such a convenient chakra cannot possibly exist… most likely, she will die._'

'_Hm… agreed._'

The old woman twitched at the pain it brought. "Ugh. Not enough… chakra. Damn."

The two hanyou's react swiftly, disappearing from view before reappearing with their hands over Chiyo-baa-sama's own. They flushed their chakra out of their system, sunset reddish gold and blood demonic red swirled playfully together in a huge bonfire of energy that surrounded all of them before turning green and swarming the four bodies, ready to be inserted into the dead body.

"Then use ours. You can do that right?" The Lightning Mistress questioned with a raised brow dotted with sweat. "Right?"

"Baa-chan?"

Chiyo gasped. "The sheer amount of chakra you two possess… is far beyond anything I have seen!" She shook her head after moments of awe. "I thought I'd never see the day. You two really are quite remarkable. Gaara will be safe with you Konoha shinobi around. Plant your hands over mine, children."

Richochet scoffed, keeping her weakness trapped away under a mask of arrogance. "I haven't been called that before. Child." She smirked, feeling hope from Naruto reverberate from her. He nudged her and gave her a serious look. "Fine. Jeeze… Bloody fox."

"Friggin weasel."

"Stupid brat."

"…Toko."

"Shut THE HELL UP! If I wasn't resurrecting Gaara, you'd be all the colours of the rainbow!"

"Ha! I'll beat you at vicious ninja tag!"

"Try it."

"CONCENTRATE!" The old woman yelled, quieting the two.

Naruto pouted and Richochet scowled. "We are." He huffed as the other sweatdropped.

"We're merely awaiting you. Our chakra is in your control." Richochet raised a brow at her. "You have our strength at your command."

"And her strength is bloody brilliant, baa-chan."

"His friendship is good… enough."

Naruto elbowed her again. "Oi! I'm singing your praises here!"

"As am I."

"There's no winning with you."

A smirk lit her lips. "I'm underestimating your heart. Your's far exceeds anyone's I believe."

The old lady smiled hopefully. "I am glad to see people such as you have appeared, in this world made by many foolish old people. In my past many mistakes have been done by me. Everything a mistake… In those last moments, I'll be able to set things right. Suna and… Konoha… The future, starting from now, will surely be different from the time I lived…"

Richochet and Naruto looked at each other.

'_People make mistakes._' He said to her.

'_Yes. These come from her wanting to protect her country, the dislike back in those times was immense, wars abound._'

The two nodded.

'_We understand?_'

'_We understand. And we don't blame her?_'

'_No. It will make her feel better. All souls need forgiveness and trust and hope to redeem them if they want to be redeemed._'

'_And if they don't we'll wait. Balance._'

'_This job isn't so bad._'

'_Those demons were… pretty lucky after all, huh?_'

Naruto smiled warmly at her through the dried tears on his sun tinted cheeks and she gave a half smile back.

They turned to her and then spoke clearly. "We understand. We don't blame you."

"I'll look after the boys." Richochet stated with no less arrogance than always. "They won't go wrong under me."

"You're gonna be one hell of a mother, chet-chaaaan!" Naruto mocked happily.

She scoffed and then gave him a significantly irritated female look. "After looking after three _little boys_ then I've been preparing, haven't I?"

"EH?! I'm not little!"

"Mind over matter."

"HEY!!"

"That unusual gift of yours… Which Kakashi spoke of…?" Chiyo said croakily, staring at the boy. "The gift that will surely change the future… After you become a Hokage like none before you… With you beside him, little lightning weasel to guide him with your formidably strong front will help him immensely…"

The old lady was giving her final words.

"And you Sakura, Next time, instead of risking your life for an old woman, protect those with the fighting spirit you have shown me; I want you to protect those most imperative to you. You are, a lot like me… Sakura. After all, a woman with a gallant spirit matching any man's is a rarity indeed… surely you'll become a Kunoichi with greater strength than your master."

Sakura nodded and Tenten put a hand on her shoulder for strength. "I will. Children outgrow their parents."

"Naruto, Richochet, I have a favour." She said, loosing energy fast. "I want you to help him."

They looked at each other again.

"There was no doubt of that." Richochet pulled a hand away and put it to the old shoulder. "I said I would look after them. And with better eyes this time."

Chiyo smiled and closed her eyes, finishing her technique. "From the bottom of my heart… thank you."

Naruto caught her and laid her down gently before turning to Gaara. The two sat him up as the others watched on, smiling softly at them. Gai and Lee wept soundly as they hugged each other. Tenten held Sakura in her arms as the girl sobbed slightly. Kakashi and Neji watched on with small smiles.

Things were good with their demons and it turn, good with them.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Gaara…" Naruto sighed in relief. 

Gaara stared at him in shock. "Naruto…?" He looked to the other pair of warm hands on him. "Richochet?"

Richochet smirked and patted his cheek twice cheekily. "Look around you Kazekage-sama. People who need you surround you. You've awakened to a grand scene of fluffiness."

Naruto smacked her head, making her scowl at him. "He just woke up!"

"You say it like he wasn't just dead." She replied dryly.

"Yeah, well… Ya don't have to be sar…cas… tic." He trailed off and then huffed, giving that pouty childish expression as he turned away. "_What_ ever."

Richochet smirked at Gaara. "I win again. Six wins over nine."

Gaara blinked at her and nodded. "Yet it's also the devil number."

"Ha! Thank you Gaara!"

"Like you're an angel yourself…"

His look turned into a perfectly angelic one.

"Don't give me that look, demon boy."

"Weasel."

"Fox."

"Toko!"

"SHUT UP!"

Gaara chuckled. "You two were worried?"

"YES!"

"Maybe."

Naruto glared.

"Fine, fine, yes. But only because I received Naruto's pounding and irritating emotions."

Naruto shook his head and narrowed his eyes at her. "You are _so…_"

"Smug, arrogant, pompous, brilliant, magnificent?"

"Friggin' conceited."

"Deal with it."

"Ugh." Naruto turned to Gaara. "We're more than glad to have you back."

"Exuberant." Richochet corrected and gave a softer smirk. "I'm in total agreement. We all are." Her hand swept to the crowd around them.

Gaara's eyes widened. "This is…?!"

"Everyone came…" Richochet began and looked at Naruto.

He gave his signature foxy grin to Gaara. "…To save _you_."

"W-Why…?"

Richochet crossed her arms and scoffed once more. "Didn't I tell you I needed more friends? And your siblings need to keep pushing you around and stuff…"

"Yeah right, bitch." Temari eyed her. "He's our Kazekage."

"I see you haven't forgotten me." Richochet smirked at her in amusement. "How kind of you."

"Tch."

Neji scoffed. "Can't you ever make friends?"

"…Nah."

"You're a little brother I have to worry about, aren't you?" Kankuro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Gaara tried standing himself.

Temari bent down to him. "Don't push yourself. You just woke from the d-dead." She stammered, staring in anguish at the ground. "Your body's not back to full health."

Naruto perked up as he heard the whispers in the crowd.

"Oi, Gaara, listen to everyone."

"This is great… I thought Kazekage-sama would die."

"No way he'd go that easily!"

"He's too great!"

Two seconds later and Richochet found herself and Temari guarding the poor resurrected Kage from fan-girls. "Holy shit! Temari-bitch, the hell is wrong with these… BACK OFF!" Richochet shoved the girl away from her. "Ack!" She dodged a foot. "Neji! Get that girl away from me!"

Neji stepped forward to the sand-nin and gave a charming smile to her. The fan girl was instantly charmed and in love.

Richochet twitched.

"My apologies." He said softly and poked her with a chakra infested strike to the temple that knocked her out. He caught her easily and turned to Richochet. "Satisfied?"

"At you touching and looking at another gal like that?"

Neji rolled his eyes, smirking in amusement at her jealousy. "I pity Naruto for putting up with you."

Temari laughed and forcefully pushed the other girl to the Jounin who passed the same Chuunin exam she did. He quickly knocked her out too. "As do I." She dusted her hands off on her black kimono. "Poor blondie."

Naruto snapped his head up from talking to the girls' brother. "You're blonde too!"

"Hey! Talking of you…" Temari walked over to him as Neji put the girls on the floor. "I'm glad you're here Naruto. Out of every person, I'm glad it's you. You really do have a mysterious power. Chiyo-sama was always saying how she didn't care about the future of this village. She wasn't the kind of person to do such a thing… such a thing for Gaara."

Kakashi sighed and put the hitae-ate he wore over his Sharingan eye. "She entrusted the future of the Sand and Leaf countries to you and Gaara… A truly fitting last moment for a shinobi."

"The same as Sandaime… Yeah!" He smiled a small secret smile that no one but the two hanyou's seemed to understand. "That's right… yeah. I understand the old lady's feelings for sure now."

Gaara and Richochet stared up and down at each other as they turned to each other. She smirked and put out a hand, and with a replying smirk, he grasped it, pulling downwards as she tugged up. "You okay, Tanuki-Tanuki-Tanuki-chaaan?"

He grimaced before shaking his head, leaning an elbow on her shoulder and catching his breath. "I'll be fine." He said as he leaned more heavily on her, wrapping an arm around her neck. She slithered a hand around his waist. "Take me to Chiyo-baa, weasella-kun."

"Wea_sella_-kun? What the hell…?"

He smirked as they went over to the old woman, her younger brother and Sakura.

Gaara slipped away from her halfway there with a squeeze to her shoulder. "Thank you, Richochet."

She nodded delicately and bowed in an old-worldly style. "My pleasure, little raccoon-dog." She smiled and stepped to his side once more as they joined Naruto in front of the three.

"Everyone… Say a prayer for Chiyo."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Three days later brought the two Teams staring at the three sand siblings, about to leave the sand country after regenerating their emotional states back to normal. 

Naruto shifted and Richochet rolled her eyes.

"Well, say goodbye, genius." She prompted dryly earning a few glares but brushing them off with indignant looks as she continued on. "It's not like we'll never see them again."

"_Yeah_, but…"

"But nothing."

'_Jeeze, you're so cold and rude!_' Naruto complained mentally, giving her a frown.

She shrugged. '_You expected different? We could always…_' Richochet said lightly as if it were nothing. '…_Create a link. It'll be weak at first but it'll grow after a time._'

Naruto grinned. "Yeah! Let's do it! Oi Gaara!"

The red head cocked his head in acknowledgement.

"You have your key? The one you got?" Naruto kept on for it. "When you… y'know?"

Gaara merely reached into his black top and took off the necklace key that had a shiny bronze key on it's end. Richochet and Naruto copied easily, showing off gold and silver key's.

"You also…?" He murmured staring at the three. "Why?"

Richochet peered at his choker furred neck that glowed with slight sandy coloured chakra. "Sand coloured, huh?" She touched her own electric coloured and furred choker. "I wonder if your hair will change too? Some black would look awesome. Blonde is horrendous. I can't believe Rokubi was so mean to me."

"What's wrong with blonde?!" Temari and Naruto snarled making her grimace.

"I wonder." She said sarcastically, dodging two fists by ducking and then grabbing their feet as they gave a sweeping kick to her. "Watch it, already!"

"Hmph!"

"Touchy, touchy." Richochet let go of their feet and stood up. "Let's do this properly this time. Naruto, ready?"

"Yeah… Gaara?"

He nodded also and looked to Richochet. "Richochet?"

"As always."

The necklaces clinked together as the chakra started to glow around the keys, pulsing to the time of their hearts. Gold meshed with sunset reddish gold and blood red to flash up above the keys in pictures of their own animals. The electric weasel lay down regally, head sleeping over the back of a dozing sand Tanuki, lying on its fox and Tanuki companions and an alert, tail wagging red fire fox lying on the weasel so they made a triangle.

The animals suddenly went alert as the three felt their beast awaken and turned to their respective owners, pawing at them happily. Right and left hands were slit with pinkies that grew a claw on each of the participants. Richochet left grabbed Gaara's left, her right grabbing Naruto's left and Gaara's right grabbed Naruto's right as Naruto grabbed the last free hand of Gaara.

Each squeezed chakra into the other two and their animals slammed into them, making them all slam back into the sand.

Fire and Sand licked at Richochet, devouring her.

Electric and fire smothered Gaara, scorching him.

Sand and Electric asphyxiated Naruto, ripping him.

It lasted moments before it disappeared entirely and only the sense of each other touched them. They could literally tell what each was doing at all times.

It wasn't odd or disturbing; it was like a weight had been taken off their shoulders. The relief was mind-blowing.

"And _why_ didn't we go to him before?" Richochet growled pointing a hand at the red head whose hair had shot with black highlights and glaring at the sheepish Naruto. "This is just…"

"Awesome!" Naruto shouted as he jumped up and hugged Gaara happily. "I wish we could do that again!"

'_Of course we can't do it again._' Richochet told the boy and Gaara jerked towards her and she gave him a smirk. '_What's up, Gaara? Your hair looks pretty cool with those highlights._'

His hand immediately went to his hair as he tried to peer at the strands.

'_And check out his eyes! They've got the red dot like us!_' Naruto grinned and stood up as the other two did as well.

'What have you done?'

'_A comrade link. Don't worry; just know we're with you._'

Gaara reached up and put up a hand on each of their outer shoulders, right holding his special bronze key. "That has a nice sound to it. Sand is open to you all." He said to the whole group before looking at the duo in front of him. "And my house to you two."

The sand siblings look at their youngest sibling in surprise.

"…Ehehehe." Naruto grinned foxily, a blush tinting his cheeks. "That's too formal for a comrade, you know!"

"Yeah, yeah. I've had enough bloody sand to last me this lifetime." Richochet said bluntly. "We like you, Gaara, but this sand is pissing me off. So, later is the bottom line. Come visit us instead of the other way around."

"Or meet at the middle!" Lee put in helpfully.

"That too." Naruto nodded and waved at the three. "Bye-bye!"

Richochet left a hand raise in farewell as she turned away and joined the group.

Naruto smiled at them one last time before the whole group ran off.

Naruto growled as he turned to the two adults of the team.

"You guys are so SLOW!"

Kakashi sighed and turned to his friend. "I'm sorry, Gai; my whole body won't- WHOA!"

Tenten and Sakura giggled as the other male picked the unstable one up.

Kakashi looked like he wanted to faint.

'_That's kinda creepy_'

'_Unbelievably._'

'What?'

Richochet answered seeing as Naruto was creeped out still. '_Take a gander through my eyes._'

A flash of chakra ran through her before settling at her eyes. It paused as if in shock momentarily before quickly fading away.

'Why would you be as cruel as to make me watch such a scene?'

Richochet smirked. '_Just because._'

'Good day to you!' Gaara left quickly.

"They must be intimate." Sakura nodded at the group, making more than half twitch at the prospect of seeing more of this. "It's the only answer for this."

"This way," Gai exclaimed, "It'll be faster!!"

"No! IT'S TRAINING!" Lee said excitedly. "Neji! Climb onto my back!"

Gai ran off. "AHAHA! THINK ANY OF YOU'LL BE FASTER THAN ME?!"

"I declare that a challenge." Richochet stated looking after the two in the distance.

"Neji!" Lee bent down.

Neji twitched as the others snickered. "_**Absolutely not again!**_"

"I'll beat you in a race this time, Richochet!" Naruto called and they stepped up to an imaginary line. She smirked at him and he grinned back at her. "On three… THREE!"

The two burst away with the others coughing in their sand.

Lee gaped in awe. "Wow, they're as cool as Gai-sensei!"

"Anyone is as cool as Gai-sensei." Tenten muttered to her pink haired companion. "You just have to not wear that green one piece crap. How have I put up with this these years?"

"Um, people, we've just lost more than half of our group." Sakura pointed out. "Let's catch up."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Naruto and Richochet finally slowed down and forget their race in favour of feeling the vibrations of a waterfall and smelling the pure water coming from it. 

"An oasis, I presume."

"How about we both draw and clean up?" Naruto asked.

"Fair enough. Time to get clean."

From the time they began their journey, Jiraiya had prompted them to clean together. He had claimed that they would have to get used to it in Anbu when there was little time. Getting over their embarrassment and uncomforted feeling when being naked next to each other, they'd agreed it wasn't so bad. It was just a body.

Burning some branches away with a chakra controlled fire hand, Naruto grinned at her as he looked over his shoulder. "Look at it!" He called over the loud smashing off water against stone. "And it's warm too! The rebound splashes form the stones are hot!"

Richochet smirked. "Nice. We've gotten way too used to cold waterfalls and showers."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Stupid Jiraiya. I can't believe he wouldn't let us have warm showers and baths! The only few times we got were hot springs when he was away!"

_

* * *

_

**_R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N_**

_

* * *

On the other side of the Fire Country, Jiraiya sneezed all over a beautiful black haired, tanned skin woman he was chatting up._

_SLAP!_

"_I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" He called to her as she stomped away. "Why do I know I have to blame those two?"_

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"We should hurry cleaning ourselves naked first and then put some swimming type clothes on." She looked out to the far north-west where she could feel the coming. "Quickly, foxy." Richochet unsealed the first scroll and took her bag out. Taking some shampoos out – lychee and cherry once again, it becoming her favourite since the first day she got into this world – she started to unclothe quickly and folded them hurriedly. 

"Move it! Chuck me my coconut one!" Naruto said as he dived into the pool.

Richochet rolled her eyes and took out the beige coloured bottles opposed to her red ones.

"And the moisturisers!"

The weasel gave him a weird look but tossed the next bottle, taking her own out also. "Flipping hell, Naruto. That's just plain odd." She scoffed as she herself dunked in. Luckily as a demon, there would be no shaving legs or armpits since they didn't grow hair there. Female _and _male. Though Naruto could grow a moustache and beard if he wanted to.

She scrubbed her hair under the water for a half minute to get the sand out quickly. Grabbing her shampoo, she squirted, lathered and rinsed in two minutes and then copied for the conditioners.

Naruto got out quicker, since guys always finished before girls somehow, and merely concentrated his chakra into heat from his fire. "I'll do this for you when you get out after I get dressed in swimming trunks. Oh hey!" He looked at her swimming clothes. "You got the black with the small lightning insignia! And the matching skirt-thingy! I thought you got the one piece?"

Having been around Richochet a lot, who was oddly fine at fashion, he picked up some of her habits. That included wanting to look nice with the clothes and sticking with the colours she stuck with.

"Yeah, and the swishy skirt thing is a sarong. Mokuba designs all my clothes as long as I give him the materials and something that he wants as a fee." Richochet informed and gave him a curious look. "Don't you get the same?"

"You pay for me apparently."

"Eh?" She asked getting out the pool, tossing her and Naruto's bottles to the bags. She stood in front of him in her birthday suit and let him dry her with a chakra hand to her shoulder. "What do you mean I pay?"

Naruto handed her the clothes she bought. "Jiraiya."

"…Sneaky BASTARD! Why the hell do I have to keep paying for everything?! Don't you people know to pay for girls?!" She ranted, apparently irritated by this. She shoved on the undergarments over her legs that had bow ties with small bolts of lightning hanging off them and then shoved on the bra which she turned around and made the blonde tie up at her neck and below the shoulder blades. She grabbed the skirt and let it hang loosely on her hips.

"Aw, calm down! I'll buy you a lemon pop when we get back! And then we can go schmoosh some more bandits to get more money back!" Naruto cheered her up a little.

"Make it two!"

What a totally odd way of cheering a person up.

"Alrighty! And two bandits groups!"

Whatever works, we suppose.

"Yeah, yeah. Honestly, buttering me up with a damn lemon pop... I detest my weak spot for them." With a sigh, she went back to the water, this time walking over it. "Train with me?"

"Of course!" Naruto jumped onto the water. "What one?"

"…How about… doge and attack with water only columns and such?" She gave him a look and narrowly dodged the column that sprang up to clip her outer foot. "You're just as sneaky as JiraiyAH!" She yelled as she forced her chakra to push away Naruto's snappily and shoved her own in to form a larger column.

Naruto yelped and jumped to the left hurriedly, landing on his right hand before turning into a wheel and landing on his feet. He glared at her as she pulsed with her demonic coloured chakra and quickly kicked his foot down, dragged a ball of water up and, pumping it with chakra, smashed it to her with a strong kick.

Sliding to the left like an ice skater, she also kicked out and let a huge pole swim out and snap over to him in a deadly point of water. It skimmed his upper arm as he turned and punched another ball of water to her and healed instantly while she easily dodged.

The two could only do this with water. They couldn't do fire or lightning since it hurt the other too much and wind was still unstable since they'd only began this type of attack at the end of their three years. So, water was left.

He sent out a quick pole attack, copying what she did easily. Naruto smirked as Richochet's wobbly column smashed into his own pole attack and didn't affect it. She jumped to the side and stared at it when it smashed into the rocks behind the fall of water before looking at him. "You win this round."

"Yes!" Naruto jumped for joy. "You have to water dance! Like that one time I saw Hinata…."

Richochet sighed and the bent into a Hyuuga's Gentle Fist stance. Co-operating it with a waltz like dance she had done with her twin back when they were children, she dragged the chakra down her body to lift water up to her hands, she merely did the three steps a waltz incorporated and then did strikes of the Hyuuga style.

Naruto joined her after a few moments of watching. He copied what she was doing as she changed to Wing Chun style, making looping circular movements. It was fun and they snickered at each other as the others finally caught up to them and watched on in amusement as they sprayed each other 'accidentally on purpose'.

Richochet ended up kicking a spray of water to the others and they groaned at her.

'_Did you have to do that so it hit my face?_' Neji asked her with a raised brow mentally. '_I was settling into a nice comfortably state._'

'_Ah, but Jounin's are supposed to settle into nice states when on missions._' She snickered again, but at him this time as he glared at her with his opal eyes narrowed dangerously. A sudden smirk played on his lips and Richochet stiffened at the hand signs he made, instantly recognising them as a water attack.

"Nami no jutsu."

Richochet groaned as the huge wave of water sped up and smashed into them. '_You soak me and I just got dry…_'

''_Then why stay in the water?_'

'_I was _on_ the water. _On _the_ water'

Neji shrugged, looking at her with triumph on his face.

She shook her head with a smirk as she stood up from bowling over by the wave and Naruto groaned from hitting a rock.

"You're so getting it." She mumbled and sped through her hand signs, pumping out chakra. "Mizu… tama no jutsu!" Balls of chakra in jewel like formation glittered before smashing like water balloons against the whole group. "We'll you were all unlucky to get in the way."

Lee jumped up and shouted. "WATER FIGHT!"

It was silent and everyone paused before grinning at each other and letting themselves have fun.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Naruto pointed at Lee, laughing.

Neji ducked another attack from Richochet as the girl herself dodged one from him.

"Heck…" The weasel muttered as she dodged three. "Where did you learn these water attacks, Neji-eji?! You live in Fire!"

He smirked and jumped to her, patting her temple.

"From you."

"What? How?"

"For one, you left that water scroll back in your room on your bed. Secondly, I've been trying to find out what you've done from your time in training for three years." His eyes narrowed at her. "Why do I only see Jiraiya a few times? And who is this child? And whose is it?"

"I'll tell you later when we get back." Richochet shrugged and with a flick of a finger, spurted some water into his face. Chuckling, she jumped away to let Neji get hit by an assortment of rock sized balls of water.

He glared at everyone, letting them no he had no desire to continue and went over to dry his clothes in the dry heat that Sand Country still gave off.

Richochet rolled her eyes at him and jumped over to him. "Here." She pulsed some of her leftover chakra into the clothes. "Seeing as it's my fur, it reacts to me."

Neji looked at her for a moment, letting a finger drift up one of her whiskers marking, twirling his finger slowly as the curl began and ended and the drifting down her jaw line. Heat blazed through her body in reaction and she held her breath, controlling her trembling magnificently.

"Hmph. Thank you."

She winked at him before joining Naruto once more and creating a huge wave with the boy, soaking everyone but Neji and themselves once more.

"HEY!"

"Aw, man!"

"I'm drenched, ugh."

"…Brats."

"Youthfulness surrounds you all! I'm so happy!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"You sure they'll be okay?" Tenten asked, Sakura nodding with her in worry as she looked back at the village they were in. People kept on turning to Richochet and whispering hurriedly to each other, surprised and admiring. 

Richochet nodded at the girls, ignoring the villagers and some slyer shinobi. "No worrying now, ladies." She rolled her eyes in irritation. "They're asleep in a barrier, apart from Naruto, who knows what's up and is watching out. Plus, Scarecrow needs rest, yes?"

They nodded and entered the shop in front of them.

The Lightning Hanyou called out loudly. "Mokuba!"

The elderly old man came out grumbling and when he eyed her he raised his white eyebrows. "Back for more already?" He laughed at his words and gave her a mocking look, his voice derisive. "I knew you couldn't resist the lull of temptingly good, well made, long last-"

"Nope." She cut him off rudely, ignoring his scowl of wrinkles. "Not for me anyway. The girls here are in need of new threads." Richochet leaned against the wall, smirking. '_Oh just you wait, girls._'

His dark eyes twinkled. "And such pretty ones too." He took out a measuring tape from his bag on the sash around his waist. He was wearing a kimono of light grey that had designs of trees all over it. "Come here, my dears!"

They smiled at him and stepped up to him.

Mokuba grinned wickedly.

Richochet looked away, feeling slightly sorry, but hey, they were getting some more than brilliant quality clothing.

'_Were all old men perverts at heart?_'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

I'm so tiiiiiiiiired. I was gonna add a ton of fighting against Mizu, but I was like, screw it. I seriously loathe Mizu right now because she's so irritating to write! And I'm STILL SO TIRED! STOP POKING ME!! Good, get freaked, brat.

Sorry, my little bro.

Next should come out soon... Hopefully... As long as people update their own fics too.. -

Ten words.

_Dominant. Promised. Thrall. ODD?! Submissive. Garnet. Fixing you. Apricot balm?_

* * *

**R.**

* * *


	31. Chapter XXXI

**Konnichiwa minna-san! O-genki desu ka? Hai? Iie? Domo, genki desu - anata wa?**

**Arigato...**

_Sanya12 - Devil-Speaker - Moogle In Paradaisu - Neko of Light - Joster13 - Blood Zephyr - lilmeika - Kimura Akira - Zero Asakura - Hibiki-chan - Hikari1994 (Ch.21 - ch.27) - Depressing Truths_

_**IKU ZE!**_

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**Chapter Thirty One**

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"We going home then, Richochet?" Naruto said as they left the Hokage's office. "Or-"

She stopped him with an expecting look. "How about those lemon pops you promised?"

"How about that talk you promised?" Neji interrupted, putting a hand onto her shoulder and Richochet grimaced at him as she turned to look at him from over her shoulder. The beast growled at her to do what he wanted, to provide for the human, and she couldn't help but heed its thrall. It was like being under some kind of spell… or jutsu. That was possible.

And the worst thing about it?

He…

…He didn't even realise, did he?!

Naruto snickered, knowing how she felt by simply feeling their connection. "Aw, boo-boo…" A fist smashed into his jaw and sent him flying back into the Hokage's room.

"Shut up, idiot." She muttered darkly to the knocked out blonde. She turned lava to opal and sighed, giving him a stubborn look. "Can you at least buy me a lemon pop?"

Let's just see if she could turn this thing-

"No."

"Oh, come on! Why not?"

Neji's lips twitched as he put a hand to the small of her back and guided her down the stairs. "We have some inside the Estate already." He said with a small knowing smile.

Richochet smirked and let her self be guided down the stairs at the side of the Hokage's tower as they passed some of the Hokage's personal Chuunin and she jumped up to the rail, staring over the country. She honestly couldn't remember where the Hyuuga Estate was. "Brilliant. Let's have a snack."

A wolf whistle made her turn to the Chuunin and Izumo winked at her. She blinked in surprise before she smirked at her admirer and gave a wave to him but walked away down the rail before Neji could dig into her.

Neji scowled at the Chuunin who grinned happily and waltzed in, nearly growling with jealousy and irate fury at the man. He turned to his friend who was giving him very wary looks and had stepped back as Neji's fists clenched.

"Tell your friend to stay… away… from her." He gave a cruel smirk. "Got it?"

He nodded quickly, wild hair moving with him.

"Neji! Hurry up, Hyuuga!" The call came to him in an irritated tone. "I want lemon pops and you've got 'em!"

Kotetsu choked on his saliva as Neji smirked at him. The seventeen year old turned away, eyes softening slightly. "Calm down! We'll get there when we get there!" He turned to the Chuunin once more and giving him a look. "Don't piss me off when it comes to her."

Neji left after his words got through to the older man.

'_Oi, Neji. Are you mad?_' Her voice held a teasing tone

He frowned and warned her. '_Don't do stuff like that._'

'_Hmm…? I have no idea what you mean._'

'_Little liar._'

Kotetsu arrived to see Izumo's daydreaming face. "Idiot."

"She waved to me! I swear that girl is hot." He sighed happily. "If only there were no Hyuuga's…"

Kotetsu rolled his eyes. "Be careful dude, didn't you see him?"

"See who?"

"Her Hyuuga man was there!"

"WHAT?! OH MAN!! I'M DEAD!"

"Not unless you stay away from her." His friend pointed out.

"WHAT?! OH MAN!! I'M DEAD!"

"…Idiot."

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"Neji, that's not nice." Richochet pointed out, thoroughly enjoying his aggravation. Well, she thoroughly enjoyed making him feel any emotion, but she preferred ones that made him react to her more. And this was one emotion she quite liked too seeing as she got amusement out of it for herself. "Threatening him like that." 

"I'm not letting anyone with such intentions towards you near you."

"Controlling, aren't you?"

Neji shrugged, simply uncaring. "I haven't seen you for three years. Why should I let other people take you away? I have the benefit of having you around me to highlight my day now."

"Eh?"

"You kept me busy." He rolled his eyes with a smirk. "I need a focus point in my life. You're the lucky one to be chosen."

"Oh don't _I_ feel special."

The beast purred its' content feelings and it echoed through her chest loudly, letting everyone around them in the road hear. Her eyes widened in shock as the beast continued its' happiness verbally. Or as verbally as it could get without speaking. She watched people look around for stray animals, but some children looked at the girl next to the 'Hyuuga Genius'.

And Genius he was.

Thinking quickly, Neji bopped her head.

It worked, but Richochet was whimpering a little afterwards.

"Damnit…" She mumbled, holding that spot and stared up at him in a caught, unsure fashion. "Why'd you do that?"

Neji grabbed her upper arm gently but firmly and led her away quickly. "Let's just go." He said lowly, mouth next to ear and she mindlessly followed him before snapping out of it. With a jerk she went out of his hold and then disappeared away from him in a blur of speed.

The last thing he saw was her face full of terror.

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'_Shit!_' She mentally swore and then turned slightly hysteric eyes to the chirping birds in the tree. '_Shit! Shit! Shit! How'd it get so…?_' She shook her head quickly and then did five quick signs after a bit to the thumb. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" 

Slipping through the 'x' marking, she jumped onto the Boss' paw who woke up in shock and turned to her, feeling her powerful presence.

"Milady Richochet?"

"I saw Neji."

Boss blinked before giving a laugh in his odd voice box that sounded more like a _vacuum_ instead of a laugh. She didn't care, for her own mind was dizzy with the thoughts flowing through her head.

"Lemme guess, it wasn't as nice as yer thought?"

"What the hell is happening?"

"Simple, yer demon is overriding yer 'uman side. It 'appens with 'anyou's." Boss shrugged his hefty furred shoulders. "Feelin' odd?"

Richochet gawped at him and then sneered. "_ODD?!,_" She hissed at him. "Odd… is the LAST thing I'm **feeling** right now!" She stamped hard making the beast yelp horribly. Her whiskers darkened and her eyes turned blood red. "_FOOL!_"

Boss gave her a sorrowful look.

She glared at the beast.

"Why the hell is he able to control me and why the hell do I want to do whatever he asks?!"

Boss blinked at her owlishly. "Well, yer gonna hafta trust him not ta do anything bad or terrible, ain't cha?" He smiled. "The dominant weasels control their emotions, but they live to serve our submissives - as long as they stay in line."

Richochet looked at him. "How'd we keep them in line?"

"Yer 'ave ta find out fer yerself." Boss sighed at her pissed look. "Richochet… Milady… Ya'll could also simply hand dominative ta him. Ya'll be able ta control 'is actions instead and give up control of 'is feelings."

"Feelings?"

"Ya! Yer didn't know?" Boss replied softly. "What do you know of weasel mates?"

"…One has dominance the other submission."

"Rokubi didn't give ya anymore info on weasels instead of jus' mating couples? Fer shame!" Boss snorted and stood on all fours. "Hold on."

"The hell are we going?"

"Ta my mate!" He called happily.

Within seconds rock turned to grassy lands and hills and he jumped over a huge log and dived into a hole. Richochet closed her eyes, hating going at such speeds without her controlling the speed itself.

At once everything stopped, and the scent of mud surrounded her, irritating her nose. The beast in her mind growled at being in another's territory so suddenly and her senses heightened. Her muscles tensed as she looked around.

Another weasel, half the size of Boss leaned her head out of the hole, blinking her light coloured eyes in surprise, maybe blue or grey, she couldn't be sure. A trio of jewels most likely garnets hung in a line from a hoop of silver – weasel colours. Whiskers that curled at the end but down, like her own but hers curled up, twitched as she sniffed.

"And this would be Lady Richochet." The female smiled as best she could on a beast's face and bowed formally. "I am glad to receive you in our home." She rose and Richochet nodded.

"And I am too." Richochet peered at her. "Are you going to tell me about mates?"

"Mates? …Kama?"

Boss cocked his head to the side. "She has to know about dominants and submissives. Please tell her Tama."

"Ah." She smiled. "For the three trickster beasts, that is the Foxes, Tanuki's and us Weasel's, we have those two names in a mating. The dominant controls by feelings and the submissive by actions. But both sides will want to do anything the other side wants, just that dominants will do more for the submissives."

She sat down and Richochet followed her actions, but instead sitting inside her paws and leaning on her left paw tiredly. "Go on."

"I am a dominant myself. In fact, in the weasel and Tanuki tribe, most females are. It is not a showing of power to others as you humans seem to think it is." She shook her head. "It means we are the protectors of the couple and are slaves to our submissive. The submissive are slaves to us too, but that means they're only ever caring for the mate and the direct family they create."

"Hmm…"

"It is a powerful link between demons. You have…"

"Neji, but he's human." Richochet said with a frown.

Tama smiled again and nuzzled her. "…And as such has less control over his need for you to always be near. Do not fear this, Lady Richochet. That is the problem right?"

"Normal couples don't have complete control over each other like this." Richochet pointed out. "I didn't accept it."

"And it scared you."

Her eyes narrowed at the thought of being scared. "I was uneasy."

"You were scared."

"Both."

Tama chuckled. "The basic line for now is. Try. The bond completed between you two-"

"We've gotten to the middle stage."

Tama gave a look to Kama. "It's all… on your side alone? You cannot feel his emotions?"

"A little… but only when it's really strong."

"How long has the courtship…?"

"I left for three years. So three years and three months, maybe a bit more. Rokubi said I'd chosen him when I first got to this world." Richochet answered thoughtfully, staring at the leaf painted mud wall absently.

"…Tha's _bad_!! When ya get back, mate with 'im." Kama said bluntly.

"In human terms, he means sex." Tama said to her bluntly.

Richochet shrugged. "Okay?"

They breathed out a sigh of relief. "Most human females… no… _females_ I've come across are deeply embarrassed." Kama said, scratching an ear with a hind leg and he chuckled.

"Dear, don't scratch your ear in front of Our Lady." Tama frowned and Kama stopped sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"Don't fear your submissive, Lady Richochet." Tama said gently, laying her paw on the girls head and patted her twice before moving the upper leg away. "He only wants what's best for you. Show me a picture of him in your mind, I'll pick it up."

Richochet thought of the last picture she had of him in her memory and the most shocking one to her.

Tama closed her eyes, glowing a chakra blue for a few scant seconds.

"She 'as the ability ta know a persons true thoughts and wants by another persons look at 'im." Kama said quietly. "She might find something that will surprise ya. Then again, being in this courtship, it's obvious tha' there is something good in him that appeals ta yer as a demon as Rokubi wouldn't 'ave chosen 'im fer ya lifemate."

"Hmm…" Tama blinked out of her state and smiled.

"Yes?"

"He wants to have a family with you." Tama chuckled lightly.

"...Wh-What?"

"He wants to see you with his children in you. He does have a controlling streak in him, but it is also protective. I believe it is a Hyuuga trait. A trait demons and us summoning beasts like. He likes everything about you, though adores nearly everything. You could try listening to him more. And being less aggressive to him to show you have a caring side. He fears he'll never find one in you and that it'll ruin any hope of a relationship."

"I do listen!" She argued, crossing her arms. "It's just that I know better."

"Look after him." Tama said strictly. "You may need the strength that balance had blessed you with, but he _needs you more that you need the balance._" Her voice rose to demanding heights. "As a weasel summoning and a mate, I tell you that. However, as a being who doesn't want to see the land she lives in ruin, be careful."

"Careful?"

"…Fight great, love great. Know who you come home to, and who you wait to come home for."

"…You …want me to appreciate him more?"

Tama nodded. "You've only taken. Neji has given you his home to share, knowledge to share, protection to hold, emotions to hold when the bond completes. What have you given him?"

"…A couple of stupid gifts. Gifts!" She sneered to herself, feeling absolutely rubbish for doing nothing for him.

"What gifts?"

"A uniform made from my fur, books he'd like and… his freedom in a scroll."

"The Hyuuga Mark? You can break it?"

"…Hopefully. It puts my chakra there instead, but I severely doubt it will let me have instant pain creating or killing him."

"…"

Richochet saw the frown on Tama and Kama's face and sighed. "I suck." She bowed her head. "I'm not good enough right now. I've taken and taken and taken and Neji's just that sympathetic and nice that he gave. He doesn't notice… He doesn't notice how good he is. People say how much of a bastard he is, cold and uncaring. He is arrogant, and he is impatient to idiots who don't try. He's not _unkind_ though. You… just… have to earn his respect."

"Most submissive have that as a key to their personality that weasels like. We dominant weasel, mainly the dominants since submissives don't seem to quite understand, adore innocence and kindness." Tama nodded.

"It's true." Boss nodded. "But we submissive like ta see strength and bein' needed in our dominants because we _want_ ta give and give our kindness. 'Umans are lucky they get ta choose what they like in 'nother bein'. We hafta stick ta what we have, ya know."

Tama acknowledged. "It is not right now that you are good enough for him. You need to focus on clearing yourself and give your mate everything he needs and wants. As a submissive he will not hurt you despite having control over your actions or rather, influencing greatly on them as you do to his emotions."

"I ran away from him though. How the heck am I supposed to act now?"

Tama hummed for a considering moment before speaking. "A lot more warmer and understanding and less of this disrespectful and intolerable nature you have. It is unbecoming of Rokubi's heir. You seem too deep at times that he has felt rather lost as to what to do with you. And more relaxed. You've come back rather uptight from training for years with only friendship to help you. The 'flings' you've had worsened it. At your age you should have had more caring. Weasel demons take mates young and keep forever. Until one dies of course."

"Really?"

"Yes, trickster demons like having one true stability to last them forever because they're so mischievous and larger than life. You like him a lot and you want to be with him, but what you have is not yet what you humans call love." Tama spoke up again. "Mating should snap you together like peas in a pod."

"'E just wants ta look after yer." Kama nodded.

"You sure?" Richochet said doubtfully, raising a brow. "I figure guys wanted sex, mainly. Jiraiya kinda made me feel that way."

"You've been around perverts too much. _It'll be_ that way in the mated couple."

Richochet chuckled and then sighed. "You've helped me a lot." She stood up and jumped over to land on Boss' head and sat down. "What do you two want in return?"

The mates looked at each other. "Keep doing what you are. You are greatly affecting people in an oddly positive manner." Tama stated kindly. "I know you don't understand it since you can't see it. I see your strengths clearly on your back."

Richochet frowned before trying to take a glimpse at her back over her shoulder and then realised how ridiculous she probably looked. "I can't see anything, myself. You sure?"

"Maybe ya can't see it _because_ it's on yer back." Kama asked politely. "Yea! Tha's it! It's on ya back and ya can't see it. Like Fruits Basket, that zodiac manga!"

Richochet stared at him. "What's manga?"

"…"

"…?"

"Yer… don't know?"

"Tch. Would I be _asking_ if I did?"

"It's a graphic novel."

"Graphic… You mean explicit?"

"No graphics as in, um - pictures! A book that's a comic, manga!"

The Lightning Mistress blinked. "Oh yeah. I've seen those. Wait, how did you read…?" She shook her head. "I should go back."

"'Ave fun!"

Smack!

"Don't be crude to Our Lady!" Tama scolded and Kama whined, rubbing his weasel spot. "She still has her human sensibilities!"

"Uh, I don't really care…" Richochet added uneasily, suddenly wary of this female who could put the Boss so easily down and stood straighter. "So don't worry."

"'Ere." Kama went into another hole before clinking around.

She frowned and raised a brow to Tama, who merely shrugged at her, unknowing. "Only demons have that telepathic link. We only have feelings to know what the other wants."

Kama came out with something wrapped in cloth. It was as big as a basketball, most likely bigger. "This is a load of pure garnet. Yup, tha whole thing." Kama said proudly. "'Owever, it has ta be filled with your chakra ta work when he touches it, or it's jus' a lump of pretty demon gem."

"It does what exactly?"

"A holder." Tama said with a smile. "We have a smaller one ourselves. It does whatever you want it to. This is demon garnet, created by Rokubi himself actually. We waited to give it to his heir. If you want to know where one another are, this will tell you. It'll be like a crystal ball you humans have for seeing things. It can also hold the family tree when you put your blood in it. It automatically knows the relationship of each of you to each other. A scroll will be worked up from your chakra, holographic, and it notes where you are."

"…Useful." The hanyou noted, eyeing it approvingly. "And it's mine?"

"Yup!"

"A gift from dominant to submissive. It works for the submissive primarily and dominant secondarily." Tama added on after the pause. "Or was it the other way around? It does other things too. So keep it in your resting room for those."

Kama and Tama gave each other knowing looks.

Richochet gave them a puzzled look as she pressed a hand to the ceiling.

"I appreciate you for your assistance."

"It's an apology gift, but that shouldn't change to you getting gifts instead of making it up to him with being truthful to both yourself and Neji, Richochet. Let it work. It is a rare and sad story when a mating doesn't work."

The ceiling opened up in a blur of chakra and she climbed out only to snap her head up as she felt incoming source of chakra, heat blasts pelting against her warmly.

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'_Richochet?!_' 

Her head turned to fully face the person coming.

Neji jumped down in front of her as she moved out of the hole and the two watched it close up. "Richochet?" He gripped her shoulders, staring at her face in concern. "Did I do something wrong? You ran like a frightened and startled baby deer."

She stared at him and then memorized his face. High aristocratic cheekbones, large worried opalescent eyes, neatly trimmed luscious long hair, full mouth pulled down in a frown, long nose slightly pointed, and creamy unblemished skin. He really was a high-class looker. His voice made things even more charming to her, deep and lulling.

"…_Richochet?_" He moved back to assess her state. Then his eyes settle on her load. "What is that in your hand?"

"It's for you. A gift. It won't settle as an apology, but I hope it is to your liking?" Her fist dropped it into his confused hands as he looked down at it in surprise. It was weighty and it definitely didn't remind him of anything he knew it could have been as a gift.

Neji blinked at her blankly, not understanding what she was giving an apology for. "Excuse me? What are you apologising for? Why are you apologising? It's odd to see you so…" He drifted off, noticing her features crumble more at each word.

"That's true."

Her lips twitched into a sad smile and her eyes softened as she stared down at the ground.

"Please take it."

There was a small silence as Neji stared at the parcel, playing with the tiger fur that acted as a cover for the piece of Gem. He shifted to sit on his behind instead of on the soles of his feet. Placing the round and solid item between his knees, he stared at her. He didn't like her like this either. Not angry with grief. Not depressed and sad with apologising to him for nothing he could think of.

For him, it was hard to watch her like this.

"Can I have you smile at me instead?"

'_Such an innocent sounding request._' Richochet chuckled sadly, feeling the world on her shoulders as she stared at him. "I was just told how bad a person I am. Well, in so many words at least. I've gotten better but not good enough for you."

Neji looked at her intensely, trying to understand her.

"You…"

She looked up to him as he put his forehead to his hand tiredly.

The seventeen year old groaned. "…Confuse the hell out of me. One minute you run away frightened, then you're depressed, beating yourself up and then apologizing, _apologizing_ of all things, to me. What happened, and who made you this way? I wouldn't have missed you like crazy if I didn't like you how you are, stupid student."

Richochet smirked and scoffed, feeling a touch better and lifted a hand to lightly trace a finger down the back of his palm. "I apologize again for apologizing then."

He chuckled himself and grabbed hold of her finger and then her hand. "Your hands are small, even for a woman's." He remarked, peering at them as he teased her lightly. He ran a thumb over the digits absently, feeling her.

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes, shoving her hair out of the way with the opposite hand as it scratched daintily at her nose. "I'm like any other woman."

"Not to me."

He stared at her hands that fiddled with her hair in annoyance.

"Definitely not to me."

She shivered.

"Your lovey-dovey-ness makes my skin crawl."

Neji frowned.

"I'd prefer touches to let me know your feelings."

A subtle, small, smirk came to his lips. "I can do that if you want." Neji replied easily, tugging her forward so she leaned on his knees with her palms and torso leaning against her hands comfortably. "And this is…?"

"Your gift. I only know what it is though. Boss… Kamaitachi gave it to me, my weasel summoning. Rokubi was going to give it to me, but he can't seeing he went a while back."

"Tiger skin…" Neji sighed, feeling the course fur. "I prefer the weasel fur."

Richochet smirked and nodded as if it were no surprise. "Of course you do. Who wouldn't? Genuine demon fur. And Tigers? Bah! Then again, they taste good." Richochet replied with a smirk making him raise an amused brow at her little speech. "Open it, already!" She fidgeted, not liking to wait for surprises. "C'mon! Oh and I should tell you of your other gifts after, huh?" She added, thinking of the other gifts. "Demons like giving gifts a lot."

"Indeed."

The male tugged at the strings as she peered down between their bodies to watch his hands move. She blinked and scoffed at what that sounded like. Shaking her head she watched the strings, thin dark leather ones, become undone with ease within his practised hands. The tiger fur fell off with a small flopping motion and spilled around the ball.

"Richo…chet…?"

She felt pleased at his awe and her demon hummed happily. "Surprised?"

"It's… pure _garnet,_ Richochet!" He exclaimed, staring at her in shock. "It must have cost… an entire _mountain_ or something as such! How did you get this item?!"

"Via the summoning weasels. No murder – not that I know of – or stealing or blackmailing. They gave it to me to give as a present to you. It's not just garnet apparently. It's worked with blood. Go on."

Richochet grabbed his hand before he could reach for a kunai and growing out her nails into hard claws. Her middle finger cut his right hand palm with a clean painless-as-possible slash.

Neji stared at the claws before turning his attention to the garnet ball. It wasn't smooth all the way around, but it did hold a small hole that he rolled with his fine hand to face the top. Dripping his blood into it as Richochet pumped it with chakra, he stopped as it fell halfway and moved his hand away and faced the bleeding palm upwards to save his blood.

Richochet then copied on herself, filling the other half. The warm liquid suddenly fizzled and bubbled as it heated, the ball rocking itself side to side as it glowed briefly before everything stopped. A bolt of lightning appeared from the ball and shocked their hands, making the two jump at the sharp feeling was different to what they were used to.

"What'd you do, weasel girl?"

"Well, _birdie-boy_, I did what you did. And don't blame the weasel girl, just the weasels." She glared at him before turning her suspicious eyes to the ball. "It keeps glowing."

"I can see that."

"Any idea why?"

"You're the demon weasel from the weasels."

"Some help you are." A scoff came softly. "Those weasels better not let it hurt you. Wouldn't want poor birdie-boy getting bitten by the big bad weasels, hmm? Poor Neji."

"How _kind_." He rolled his eyes. "Adding on insult to such a non-Richochet remark. Such a Richochet statement."

Richochet merely shrugged with a smug look.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"And _you're_ the apple of my eye too." He replied sarcastically.

"Ha! I better be! No one else is good enough for you!"

The ball stopped glowing suddenly and rolled itself to Neji before shrinking to fit into his palm and disappeared into it, any sign of the scratch she gave him gone. Neji peered at it with a dull look. "Could you tell me why everything disappears into me? First your heart and then your gift…"

"Markings to animals and demons demote different things." Richochet shrugged again and then stood up to look around the forested area they were in. It was a less dense area of the forest a mile out from the village hidden in the leaves filled with plenty of fruit bushes and wild strawberries abound. There were no animals around, most likely frightened by her demonic presence in the area.

Pity.

She's always liked some small animals.

Felines were her favourite type of animals.

"And this?" Neji bared the mark on his hand.

"A… Ah…" Richochet peered down at it before looking up to the sky. "Rokubi, what the hell did you call it? Gimme a sec…" She said to him, still staring up to the sky that showed it was around four. "…I don't know. But any markings on you from me mean some form of… trust…"

Neji smirked and crossed his arms and leaning back slightly. "So the tough Richochet is eating some humble pie."

"Puh. Merely poking it around the plate." The answer was muttered, and kind of huffy. "I don't like pie much anyway. Lemon pops rule. Yeah, I'll eat some humble lemon pops for you." She smiled at the thought and then blinked out of it. "Questions?"

Neji stared at her a bit.

"…"

She never had much of a problem with staring as it never affected her.

But…

Neji affected her beyond belief.

The Lightning Mistress raised a brow and rolled a shoulder in a discreet manner of awkwardness. "What?"

"I take pleasure in watching you. Are you hungry?" Neji smiled smugly and drew her nearer to him with a sweep of his arm, trapping her against him so he felt every nuance of her body under him arm, close to his chest. His head bowed down so his eyes were on the same level as her lava orbs. She moved her head back every time he inched forward, giving him a look that stated 'don't get closer, you weirdo', raising a brow.

She stared at him once again and then put a hand to her stomach. Last time she ate was two days ago at Suna and as a demoness she ate a lot at one time, or small portions over a long time. Her body made sure to storage the food's energy as much it could before it had to go out again the other end. "Y…Yeah… A little…"

He traced a hand over her whiskers again before letting go of her abruptly and walked ahead.

"Then hurry up."

Richochet shivered at the wind from his leaving swept over and her chest throbbed and she winced at the feeling. "I don't like this feeling." She whispered to herself. "Feeling alone." She shuddered and wondered how the heck she survived before coming to here from her own earth after Shoko died.

It was scary.

"Richochet! Hurry Up! You're not the only one hungry… Oi."

The young woman looked up slowly.

Neji was looking away. "I don't want you to leave me." His voice was mumbled. "So don't go away again without telling me."

"Agreed." She said without thought and then put her hand to mouth. "Huh, it's true."

"…?"

"…" She gave a gentle smirk to him. "You control me to a point."

A predatory look entered his eyes.

"Come here then."

She stepped forward and then paused, scowling at him and crossing arms over chest.

"I can, hmm?"

'_Bastard._' She thought to herself. "Let's just get some damn food!" She stomped past him, head high and turned her face away when she passed him and looked forward again before yelping as he snatched her around the waist and tugged her back to his chest.

"You wouldn't be a bit ticked off at me would you?"

"Don't mock me!" She growled, eyes narrowing and he laughed, placing a kiss upon her temple softly. She de-tensed herself at that, her beast making her melt. "You seriously suck, Neji."

"Hmm." The Hyuuga Genius acknowledged her. He put his chin on her shoulder and pushed them forward so they walked on. "We have a mission soon. A Hyuuga one. Little Hanabi wants to go to see her husband-to-be."

"Eh? Wasn't she with Mizukage-sama?"

"She _is_."

"Hmph."

"Yes." Neji answered, rolling his eyes at her, thumb making circular motions around her naval. "I like the feel of your stomach."

"You're very forthcoming today when about me."

"You're going to marry me."

"Yes." She agreed and then realised what she had said and starting coughing to cover it up. She could feel his content as he let out a sigh of relief. "Holy shit. _And_ controlling. Don't make me says things because you want it. Greedy."

Neji snaked his arms up and around her upper arms sneakily. "Only greedy for you."

Richochet bit her bottom lip. "I don't understand."

"Why I've decided on you?"

"You could say you decided but…"

"I need you. That's all. Just remember that."

"…Thank you."

Neji smirked and then leaned away and slapped her shoulders twice. "We'll try for children tomorrow." He slipped in front of her and walked on as if nonchalance.

She gawped after him, mouth open.

"WHAT?!"

"Let's go eat now, Richochet."

"YOU JUST SAID-?!"

"I was kidding."

Richochet put hands to knees and gave a sigh of relief.

Neji frowned and then considered the other possibility. "What, you don't want children?"

"…Well, yeah, but not… not yet, okay?"

An innocent look was shot her way after she another felt a blast of relief and reprieve. "Then sometime soon?"

"Piss _off_! You're scaring the shit outta me!"

"Still not comfortable?"

"I will hurt you. Irreversibly."

"Not my groin though." Neji tapped her nose. "You need that."

"Don't you mean '_you'_ need that?"

"…_We_'ll need that."

Richochet gave him a suspicious look. "Have you been talking to Jiraiya?"

"Deidara." Neji muttered irritably. "He has a streak of pervertedness the same size as Jiraiya's. It's just well hidden." He grimaced at the items he had gotten from the man and walked away quickly, not wanting to go into that line of questioning.

Richochet brightened up a little at that. "I haven't seen him for a good year. What's he up to?" She jogged to catch up with him. She took in his tense posture, as his back straightened. "Oi, what's he done to you?"

"Tortured me with… erotic items and books."

Richochet grinned with delight and a distinctly feminine charming smile settled on her lips, as her eyes lit, dropping slightly at the idea. "Oh ho-ho? Did you keep them? Sounds like fun." Her hand tickled up his stiff back.

BOP!

"You've been hanging around Jiraiya too much." A tinge of embarrassment settled on his cheeks.

"Oh come on!" Richochet groaned, holding her head. "You really thought Jiraiya didn't give us scrolls on that stuff? Jesus H Christ, Neji! I was travelling with the man who writes the best selling sex novels for a living! He taught me what a man likes!"

"Perverted Hermit…" Neji growled.

"…" Richochet just sighed and looked heavenwards. "Dealing with you on these things just pisses you off and aggravate me _because _it pisses you off. Alright, this is how it goes. We're a couple or whatever. Right?"

"Yes."

"You want to be married to me?"

"In due time."

Richochet paused, ducking her head as she struggled with her blossoming smile. Controlling it her head popped back up with a confident smile and a determined glint in her eyes.

"I want to be mated to you. The human marriage is feeble. Though, if you want to…"

Neji took her chin in his hand and wanted to kiss her but held back. He ran his hand up her whiskered cheek again, finding the curls enticing and adorable. "It'll set me free if I take your name instead."

The weasel hanyou's eyes widened. "Oh shit, yeah!" She grabbed his hand automatically and dragged him to the Hyuuga Estate a good half mile away. "How the hell could I forget that scroll?! I'm a flippin' douche bag!"

Neji blew some hair out of his eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"The scroll!"

"The scroll?"

"Yes! My gift to you!" She frowned and then started muttering under her breath to herself. "Of course, we'll have to put up a barrier and…"

"What the _hell_ are you _mumbling_ about?!"

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"…And so… It should leave the tattoo behind with only a reddish gold hint to it across your forehead instead of green." Richochet said from her pacing as Neji sat on the edge of his bed, staring at her blankly, hands trembling. 

"It says that?"

Richochet nodded impatiently.

"Of course. I wrote it."

Her eyes narrowed at his lost stare. '_**Take advantage of this moment of disbelief.**_' Was the one thought that swam through her mind from the beast as she peered at him watchfully. '_**Take the pain from him.**_'

She raced at him and jumped him down on the bed and with an extremely huge gamble on the thin line, she slammed her youki into him viciously, taking no excess chakra that wasn't one of their own, prisoner. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple at the extreme amount of control needed to take care of the problem.

Growling she snarled at the bandaging on his forehead. Ripping off the unneeded bandage, she threw it to the side and put her fingers to the outsides of his temples and the thumbs on his eyes, keeping his lids shut securely.

Chakra from generation passed flooded her system, and her mind had to work on two different levels as one side combated the chakra in her by forcing lightning at them and changing the energy from attacking her to making it her own. Then the other level dealt with shoving her chakra into his mind and severing the link it had connected to his eyes, the part of the mind the eyes controlled, rendering him blind momentarily.

Shock smashed into him.

"Richochet!" Neji cried out in alarm grabbing at her waist and holding her still. "What are you-?!"

"Fixing you. Shut the fuck up."

Her mind fixed a third level up and she fully concentrated on healing the links. Demonic chakra healing pulsed into his mind, not harming him as she controlled it not to. He wasn't linked to her in any way like she was with Naruto and Gaara to her demon chakra standards and it tried harming anything it didn't know.

That was the nature of demon chakra.

The chakra in her, battling her force yielded to her almost instantly after she overwhelmed it. She took in a deep breath and held it forgoing her own bodily functions to focus everything on the body below her on the bed. Pain filled her mind instead of letting it linger in Neji's and she trembled with the effort.

Neji's brow furrowed as he felt a drip of her sweat slap on his cheek. She was putting her all into this and it was affecting her heavily to do this thing. This… granting of his deepest desire.

"You don't have to do this." He grasped her tighter, though inwardly he was raging with hope.

"Shut up!" She called back loudly, holding his head tighter.

"Richochet - it's hurting you! I can feel it hurting-!"

"SHUT UP!"

"I can't _let you_-!!"

"LET ME DO THIS! PLEASE! I HAVE TO DO IT FOR YOU!" She cried out intensely, eyes swimming with tears of pain and they rimmed red. Her body started spouting electric bolts and she slammed a huge bolt of energy into healing him and green over flowed her body and swirled with reddish gold, filling up the room with static tangible energy, making everything look green and reddish gold. "I'M TOO STRONG NOT TO DO THIS!!"

Neji's sight zapped back in an instant and a brief snap in his forehead occurred, as if he had clicked a bone loudly.

With a start to Richochet's system, the chakra crashed back into her with a start and smashed into her again, making her bang against the wall and then rebounded to the ground painfully. With a growl, she pushed her self up with a push-up motion and stared up at his forehead. Her eyes widened as she looked at his eyes.

Her body stilled in silent shock.

His Byakugan was on and the veins bulged as usual, but he also had the Kazangan swirling wildly, making him look like a ferocious and powerful being.

She trembled in ecstasy.

Dear god, him heaving like that, hair wild and unkempt, power emanating from his pours as she stared up at him and he looked so…

Absolutely.

Deliciously.

Mind-blowingly.

Orgasmic.

"Take the chakra from your eyes." Neji did so and she sighed in relief to find his normal features stared back at her. "Congratulations. The Hyuuga Curse Mark is now void." Her body slowly went back down to the ground, mentally weary. Her body was coated in a thin sheet of sweat and she was breathing deeply.

Tiredness.

Neji jumped over to her and grabbed her under the arms, hefting her up so her head and shoulder were above him and kissed her firmly on the mouth in joy. A jolt of his joy ran down her spine and she replied by cradling his head, sucking gently, wanting to breath his emotion in. Rarely had she wanted such an emotion in her.

They parted in surprise, staring at each other in slight shock.

It was their first kiss since parting.

Neji opened his mouth to spout out something or other like a shitty apology or some embarrassed stuttering excuse, but Richochet would have _none_ of that at all.

She slid her mouth back down to his, locking their mouths and doing whatever she wanted to his perfect lips. Her mouth turned forceful, demanding more of his happiness to be shared greedily, becoming possessive. His heated chest pounded rhythms inside from his heat and she rejoiced at the sound of it, the feel of it. Her own heart fluttered, demanding to follow the strong one of his as her tongue sneaked out to taste his lips.

He used balm on his lips, did he?

That thought brought a smirk to her face.

She had a new fondness for apricot and lemon.

Neji's shocked eyes stared at her briefly before closing again, breathing through his nose and sliding his arms around her back to feel her heaving chest against him. Her developed breasts were bound and that maddened him. The male in him wanted to feel the softness of them, and the firmness it held to know she was definitely a woman and not hard like a man. His fingers clawed into her, making her back tense before arching and moving closer to him, pressing hard.

Richochet teased his tongue into playing a game of tag within their mouths, running a hand through his hair, and wrapping her legs around his narrow but muscular waist. Her back came into contact with the wall and she trembled at the feelings he inspired into her body, especially the coiling tightening at her abdomen. She couldn't think apart from the thought of his hands, the scent of the shampoo he used, the beat of his heart, the heat of his body.

As a purely physical person, not good with words or emotions, this was her slice of heaven.

Her tremble made one answer in him and he gripped her closer to him, desperate to take everything in when he could. He wanted to feel only her and it was happening. This enticement was beyond words, the energy passing through him was…

…It could only be described as electric.

He grounded against her, his hardened member pressing against her groin making her whimper and he became just that little bit harder and wanton, wanted to feel her all around him and soak her in. The clothes suddenly made him itch. He wanted their tops off. He wanted e_verything_ off from her off. Exposed and bearing. Vulnerable to his unchecked, uninhibited passion under his own cool aloofness.

Reading the thought without realising it, she unbuttoned his top and let it fall to the joint of his elbow. Hands roamed the hard contours of his body hardly, making him moan into her mouth as she touched a sweet spot below his left pectoral muscle near a rib bone, leaving small red welts behind, a mark of her passing by.

A pounding at the door loud enough to wake the dead interrupted them and parting with a glance to the door, they paled, heaving with lips bruised and reddened, when they saw the head of the Hyuuga Clan there. Neji accidentally let go of her and she slid to the ground, landing on her arse hardly.

'_Oh fuck._' Richochet winced at the extra Hyuuga males' unknown entrance and gave him a look. Neji shrugged in apology and bent down to check if she was fine, leaning on the soles of his feet. '_Like that hurt. It's the principle of it, damnit!_' She then blinked demurely at her make-out partner, a little smirk on her face and leaned on her own soles of her feet between his legs. '_You should hide your problem.'_

Neji stiffened his shoulders as her knees brushed his hardened member.

'_Now which am I talking about? Your forehead or your-_'

'_Now is not the time._'

"Care to explain?"

Richochet looked at the head of the clan with a doubtful look. "Mister, you've had two children… I'm severely hoping you're not talking about us in that way when it's pretty _obvious_ what was happening."

Hiashi smirked at that.

"Indeed. I did tell you that you would eventually marry this boy, did I not?"

"Tch…"

Richochet twitched and crossed her arms, ignoring his comment.

Neji twisted to stare at her, a brow raised in surprise.

"Oh?"

She turned her face away at his curious and smug look. "Yeah, yeah…"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "Tell me why I should not inform the Council to rid myself of you? I do believe you have caused extreme damage in the household's future. Taking away one of my daughters' most special protector is a great deal, seeing as she is the heir. I need her safe. You have unbalanced this."

Richochet smirked as she looked away, utterly amused and not caring. "Your head is buried in tradition by those council members. The village, to me, needs a breath of fresh air and disarray and damage is the beginning of it. Shaking the foundations of a small clan will shake up the town which sleeps in peace. You should be preparing yourselves for the attack of demon-crazy members named Akatsuki. They will not resist two in one place."

"Then-"

"-I should leave."

A silence echoes in the room as Richochet stood up and patted her self down. "I'll be collecting my things." She turned to the other person and stared at him as he glared at the floor. "Like I promised, I tell you when I leave. Now answer me this. Do you want to come with me? You are… welcome to join me." She looked away, uncertain.

Neji looked up in surprise, staring at her with unsure eyes.

Politely, she didn't listen to his thoughts. Instead she gathered her precious scroll she gave away as a gift; glad she had a copy in her scroll holder, another with the weasel leader, Boss, and another with Jiraiya. She licked her lips off the remnants of Neji's taste and his apricot and lemon flavoured balm.

She still found it highly amusing he wore it and probably always would.

At least the guy took good care of himself.

More than she could say for Naruto.

Yeesh.

"My father… would have wanted me to stay and protect the family."

Richochet felt her shoulders droop down slightly, stomach falling out of her body metaphorically, but she stood up straight and gave a nod to him a half second after. There was a small pause before she replied, grabbing her cloak and its' lightning magnet medallion.

"Family… huh…" Never really being close to anyone in her family apart from Shoko, she couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to. Had she done something wrong? Richochet blinked, cocking her head. She didn't think she had done.

"…Yes."

"As… As you wish."

The Lightning Mistress said the words monotonously, not sure how else to reply from being pushed away. Her beast whined but accepted the answer and she immediately felt obliged to give him space and wait for him. Standing in front of him, she grabbed his hand and placed the scroll within it, curling his fingers over it with her own smaller fingers with short but very clean nails, hating any grime under them.

Richochet daren't look at him

With her cloak folded over her arm and lightning medallion in the same hand, she held it to her torso and swept to the door. "My thanks for having me. Sorry for over-welcoming my stay."

She bowed very slightly and then slinked out, leaving behind two Hyuuga males in her destructive wake.

Neji silently switched on his Byakugan and followed her progress with a small frown on his features. She'd stopped to get her items from her room, including her Konoha hitae-ate. She paused to look at it before looking around and focusing distinctly on his eyes. She scoffed through her nose turned away sharply, tossing the metal-and-material forehead protector on her bed, running away swiftly, making him stiffen and clenching passed in his chest, trying hard but barely following her extremely quick movements.

"Neji…"

"…"

Neji didn't look at him, watching the girl walk speedily away into the foliage.

Hiashi sighed, staring at his cane.

"You realise what she has done for you?"

"…?" Neji stared at him for a short second before looking back, only just getting sight of her again.

Hiashi stared the boy down. "You…. _do_, don't you? The rules in our family state that the one who freed a Curse marked individual…" He trailed off, watching Neji's eyes lit up in realisation.

"You should go."

The younger male raced out after her.

Hiashi gave a small smile. "Silly boy… Don't lose the thing most precious thing to you for something that isn't even there." Hiashi looked up at the ceiling. "Hizashi… He's become a man already; and at this tender age too. Aren't you proud, my brother? Luck gave him a blessing to be with the one he loves with the families' approval, even if that means nothing to him… or her." He chuckled wistfully.

A small warm wind blew into the room, a bird feather floating in.

Hiashi caught it very gently. "And the bird flaps its' wings… leaving behind the old feathers, newer, stronger ones having sprouted, to go off and search for his definitive, definite home, at the cost of leaving behind his past, only to remember it by memory and visitation." He smiled more widely. "Life is truly bittersweet."

He softly blew the feather away, not looking where it landed.

After all, there's no point going on a journey for the ends only, is there?

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Dear God did _I _like writing this XD! Did you enjoy reading it? Get a little hot under the collar? I did. I'm not afraid to admit it. Only because I kinda wrote it after a couple of my experiences... XD! If you did, write in your review 'HELL YEAH DAMNIT!!' So we know if you did or not and are brave enough to admit it! Yeah I'm calling you fakers out! LOL!

But we'll keep that a secret between us, right?

Ahaha!

What did you guys think of such a shocker of a chapter? Good Bad?

Ten Words?

Oh, go on. Two extra.

_Disappointing me. Slave. Bless. House. Rejection. Personality. Clothes. We take our leave._

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**R.**

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	32. Chapter XXXII

**Hello all! I decided to get this two days earlier. Not much to say right now, so...**

**Much love to...**

_Joster13 - Songo714 - Zero Asakura - Moogle In Paradaisu - Frozen Tempest - Lilmeika - -Asa-Hoshi- Neko of Light - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Hibiki-chan - Shodow-Of-Your-Dreams - Blood Zephyr - Sanya12 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Emerald Lady - Elewyn2007 - Depressing Truths._

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**Chapter Thirty Two**

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Richochet snarled to herself, feeling crabby and ready to bite someone's head off verbally. She wanted someone to feel the same pissed off emotions she was. She turned to the forest and sneered evilly.

She felt ready to destroy the world and more.

But not everything.

Jumping into the forest, she created another sound holding barrier by taking the sealing scroll and taking out the single note that had the few symbols of sealing. Slapping it to the tree, she waited five seconds to see the glow of silver writing before it settle back to black, stomped off once more to the middle of the area.

She paused, letting her emotions build up to get her to an infuriated state.

"Katon; Goukkakyu no jutsu!" A ball of flame, one she made roughly the size of a human being, curled tightly into pure molten lava. It burned through a dozen trees before fizzling out into the pool of water beyond them she hadn't noticed. Her fist sliced through another tree before she charged electrical currents into the top of it, turning it to ash.

The Lightning sparked at intense rates, turning between pure white blue lightning, green healing chakra, and her own balance of reddish gold youki and scurried around her body.

"Suiton; Daibakufu no jutsu!" Water exploded into even more trees, soaking the land with abundance and her knees swam in water. She glared at the water and shouted again. "Katon… RYUUKA NO JUTSU!" A huge blaze of fire evaporated the water as a dragon roared a breath of fire and smoke filled the area as the air became humid.

Richochet scowled at the ground.

"Stupid Neji! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

The blaze of chakra heightened around her and she crouched down and the foul touch of demon energy zapped the land of it life and vitality, trees crumbling to bits, grass blackening. Rockslides occurred as the touch tainted the area and ferocious tears dripped down her cheeks.

"I hate this!" She gripped her hair and tugged harshly, making herself hiss and whine in an animalistic manner. "I want to hurt him so bad! What the fuck is family anyway?! It's not true! A fucking bunch of lies, that's what!"

"That's not true."

Neji himself stated from behind her, in one of the surviving trees, leaning against the trunk.

"GO the HELL away!" Richochet snarled at him.

"No. Tell me why it's a bunch of lies."

"Piss off, Neji!"

"_Stop_ this destruction."

The Hyuuga jumped down and tried to touch her, but the purified lightning zapped him and he held in a scream behind gritted teeth. He blinked as warmth overran him and opened the eyes that closed instinctively to the pain. Green surrounded her as she stared at him blankly and then turned around to see her quick and effortless destruction.

"Tell me why it's a bunch of lies."

Her body throbbed and she stepped away from the hole in the ground. Two deep, grassy footsteps were left behind as well as the trail of grass that grew as her green chakra touched it. Her glow shrivelled down into her body.

"Tell me why it's a bunch of lies!"

"What do you really want from me?" Richochet glared at him. "One moment, it's fine. You want all this… _family_ stuff?! Stuff I have no knowledge of apart from seeing the children run to mothers… Then I give you what you've always dreamed of then we're passionate with each other and when I get kicked out you don't want to come with me… _Family_ duty, as an excuse again."

"…I want to do what's right. It's in human nature to-"

"Well I'm _NOT!_" She yelled at him, glaring.

He scowled. "If you'd just let me finish-"

"I've never cared about human standards! We've both been treated by our family as slaves!" She pointed at him with a glare. "Why the hell are you, you…_ duty bound_ to them?! Anyone would think you'd hate them all!"

Neji gritted his teeth and grabbed her hand because of the desperate need to connect to her when she was so confusing and on a whole other level to him.

"I got over it."

"How can you just _get over it_?!"

"I just don't care about it anymore!" He finally yelled back at her, eyes blazing. "I don't even want to think of it! Why does it matter to you so much?!"

"…" She didn't have an answer. She was just pissed off that anything that upset her, so the slightest came out. And this had been building for a while. Many long years. Maybe because she could trust him she yelled at him. That thought stopped her for a moment. "This sucks."

Neji appeared in front of her, millimetres from her body and grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"This isn't about that, though, is it?"

"No." She scowled at the automatic reply.

"And what is it about?"

"You disappointing me. Fuck!" She swore at herself vehemently. '_This really blows. I can't even lie to him one iota._'

"And I'm glad you can't." He smirked, slipping a kiss on her lips before moving back. "I have one thing to say right now."

Richochet looked at him from behind a haze of hair. "…Eh?"

Neji took a step back bowed to her from the waist. "Due to the Hyuuga creed made centuries ago, those who break the curse mark get the one they broke the curse mark on as their slave."

"You're my…"

"I am your slave."

Richochet stared at his bowed body in a stunned motion.

"Aww… That's so pretty, un!"

Deidara waved to them with a big cheeky grin on his face as they looked at him, Neji rising from his bow.

"Yup, un! It's me, un! Deidara, at your service, un! Neji, I can't believe you're a slave, un!"

"Is that really true?" She asked, ignoring the blonde. Her head shook in denial. "What if I don't want you as a servant? What if I throw you out? What then?"

"Then I'm banished from my homeland." Neji shrugged hopelessly. "Konohagakure no Sato no more for me. It's your choice."

"OOOH!"

"Deidara, shut up." The two turned to him with annoyed looks and he huffed.

His arms crossed petulantly, and he pouted at them. "That's just not fair, un."

"Fine, but first tell me what the hell this includes." Richochet demanded as she snapped her head to him, crossing her arms defensively, narrowing her eyes at her to be mate suspiciously. "People just don't go up to you telling you they're your slaves suddenly because you figured out a challenge and told the results. It doesn't happen."

"Of course not." Neji rolled his eyes and leaned his back against a tree that was only marginally ripped. "It's only in the Hyuuga family. Slavery. I do anything you desire. Kill, steal, blackmail, seduce-" He smiled slightly at her twitch, nodding in relief to himself. "-And such actions as that. I won't care what you tell me because I am just your tool."

"…Un. This is odd, how do you break the slavery, un?"

"You said something intelligent? By Oath, that's a surprise." Neji drawled, looking at the other male coolly. He knew the twenty one year old was irritating, but his cheerfulness reminded him of Naruto. Naruto reminded him of stupidity. And thus Deidara was stupid. That's how it worked in his mind. "To break it. I don't know. Its' duty bound, not blood bound. Permission from my mistress, I suppose."

"That's stupid, un." Deidara jumped down to stand a good five feet to the left of Richochet.

"It is honour and gratefulness." Neji stopped leaning against the tree to walk to his mistress and took the hem of her sleeve and kissed it. Like any slave would to their owner. And so he was closer to his fiancé than the idiot blonde. "Not that you would know of it."

Deidara stuck his tongue out.

Richochet rolled her eyes discreetly at the small 'battle' between them. It was such a guy thing. "Alright, slave. I want you to… Hmm… Go and get me some lemon pops. It's about time I got them."

Neji huffed but jumped away after giving a warning look to Deidara, who put his hands up in surrender. "Hmph. I'll be back soon." He disappeared in a poof of leaves.

"How has it been back here?" Richochet asked quickly. It wouldn't take the Jounin more than a minute, knowing him. "Akatsuki?"

"It's been relatively calm and simple. Hinata and I aren't dating anymore. Fun while it lasted, but we're good friends." He smiled gently at her confusion with warm eyes. "She pined for Naruto more than me." He patted her head twice.

She swiped his hand away, irritably. "Tell me of the Akatsuki, Deidara. What do you know?"

"Akatsuki has tried goading me into joining them, but I've refused. They already have a bombs expert, this Mizu girl. I've gathered info that the two unknown is a male and female, one with many piercing in his face and swirling eyes that are of a special kind, like your ones and your mans. The female has paper attacks. Origami I think. Jiraiya has also been brought into the equation for some reason."

"Where'd this information appear from?"

"A drunk informant that used to live in… a country with never ending rain." Deidara frowned, shrugging at her inquiring look. "It might be rain country or even waterfall… Don't worry; I was using Henge to hide my beauteous appearance, un."

Richochet shook her head, knowing that was the end of the information when he started using the 'un' again. "Idiot. Of course you are and of course you did."

Deidara poked up in the rib, making her twitch.

She swatted his hand away as if it were a fly at that, hoping he hadn't seen her twitch as a poof of leaves appeared.

The hanyou was highly ticklish due to her weasel nature if someone was intending to tickle her.

Deidara blinked.

"Your…"

"…!"

"…TICKLSH, UN!"

He jumped the girl, landing near a destroyed tree as she jumped away speedily, blurring to appear next to Neji. He looked at her in amusement before looking annoyed in the blonde's direction. "Don't touch her. You're not allowed to in my books." He snapped possessively, scowling at the male.

Deidara looked uneasy for a moment before regaining himself and his composure. "Eh, un? Why not, un?" Deidara then blinked and let a grin tug at his lips playfully. "Oh, I see, un. You want her all to yourself, un!"

"Exactly." He handed Richochet her lemon pops. The wrappers immediately vanished into thin air as she chomped on one and offered the other to Neji, who took it and merely put it in his mouth with her biting into the ice like a wild cat. He smirked at her. "You really like these, don't you?"

"One of the best things in the world." She nodded and stared at the half eaten cylinder shaped piece of white ice in confusion. "These are better than I remember and a lighter shade too." Her eyebrows rose, remembering them to be a bit more yellowed. "I should get that woman's recipe or something."

"Already done."

"…Wh-What? You mean-?"

"I made these."

"…Whoa…" Her eyes lingered from his face to her treat. "I think I like them even more now."

Deidara 'awwww-ed' in the background, hands clenched together and hearts in his eyes.

Her eyes fluttered halfway as her body worked quickly to supply the energy it had lost back to her system. Immense proportions had gone into the curse mark dilemma and her torrential pissed off fit in the forest. It was an odd feeling to be able to know the works of her body and experience it consciously. Her head fuzzed over as everything blazed into her body from the stomach and cleared almost instantly, as if she had a sneeze coming and sneezed it out.

Shaking her head she looked up to the sky and noted how dark it was now compared to before she gave Neji his garnet gift. "Well, I'm going home now."

"Speak to you later, un! With more information too, un!" Deidara waved and with a single hand sign, poofed away in a small explosion of clay instead of leaves.

Richochet simply turned around and walked off to her house, letting Neji follow quietly as he glanced at the passing dead trees keeping in step five paces behind her. A weasel appeared and squeaked. It bowed and she bent down to stroke it's head.

"Yes?"

It squeaked more times.

"Really? Very well, I can take some time out of my schedule." Richochet rose.

Neji raised a brow. "You understand him?"

"You can too. Just listen to him more." She turned back to the beast. "How many?"

Squeak squeakity. '_-this time. Five pretty little baby ones!_'

Neji stumbled back in shock, mind reeling. "I can understand non-summoned-"

"Of course. Only the weasels though." Then went thoughtful in her thinking. The Genius had noted she'd become very thoughtful lately and smiled at that secretly. "Maybe ferrets and others of the weasel family too… I don't really know. I never bothered."

"Do you always do this?"

"They deserve for me to at least bless their new offspring."

Neji paused and cocked his head to the side.

"You've definitely gotten nicer."

"Maybe I've just gotten more comfortable in myself that I know people still know what I'm like and I can afford to be a little better to those I think should have it. If they like my opinion so much and listen to it, they'll know I'm thankful."

"And matured."

Richochet scoffed. "Not too much. Don't count on me suddenly singing everyone's praises. Most people still piss me off. Only four people won't get my frustration and exasperation. Not constantly at least. And since you've been around me with only those I know more closely, you haven't _seen_ me yet."

Neji nodded and turned to see the weasel hopping over a naturally fallen log – not one smashed over by Richochet's ire – and into a bush. He stopped when she did and waited.

A minute later, the weasel family came out, three small babies on the males back and two small ones on the tired females.

'_Thank you immensely, My Lady!_'

"Say no more. You are one of my messengers and have pleased me greatly." Richochet knelt on one knee liquidly and pushed two of the babies into one hand very carefully, positioning them so they were not strained in any way. They mewed for their mother but with a purr from Richochet they settled down happily.

Neji watched as her demonic chakra settled on her lips, turning them a glowing chakra infested blood red and peaked his interest. Her lips press on their heads, leaving an imprint of demon on them and guarding them from any being wishing to harm them.

'_Is he your submissive?_' The weasel male asked, moving his head to the Hyuuga in askance.

"Yes. He's kind."

'_Ah! That is good for the submissive. May he also bless them?_'

Richochet blinked slowly in surprise and turned to him staring at him with a frown before turning to the weasels. "He is human. And not yet my mate. Is this okay with you?"

'_You have not yet?_'

"No." She sighed, wondering why it turned to this with the weasels. "Soon."

"What will be done 'soon' Richochet?"

"Taking you." She smirked and raised her brows twice before looking at her summoning's again. "Will you allow him?" Richochet asked, stroking a thumb over one of the baby weasel softly.

'_Anything for Our Lady and Her Submissive!_' The female chimed happily.

"_Her_ Submissive…?"

"It only means something else with demons. Not in the human way."

"Oh? And If I'm the Submissive…?" He drifted off, waiting for her reply, knowing he wasn't going to like what he heard as he took the baby weasels in each hand.

Smirk.

"I'm the Dominant. Most of the females are in Weasel Society."

"… Weasel Society…I knew I wasn't going to like what I heard." He said, copying what she had done as if he himself had the Sharingan eyes. "I did this correctly?" He asked, opal eyes staring at the chakra marks that disappeared slowly fainted into the fur, leaving behind orange-red and silver marks.

"Mhm." Richochet held the other three just as carefully, and continued the ceremony. "Here."

Neji put the two on the males back, smiling faintly at the lick on the finger he received in return. He took the other three and copied as the other three watched him. "Done. What does this do?"

'_Protects them from harm until the reach an adult age and work for her._' The female replied, welcoming the weight of two extra burdens as the male took one more. Her caramel furred head touched the hand with a nudge of appreciation. '_Thank you both, My Lady and Her Submissive._'

"I don't like being called 'Her Submissive'."

'_That'll last until you become her mate, then it'll be My Lord._'

"You mean taking the wedding vows to become it?"

"No." Richochet smirked again, raising her eyes to him. "_Taking_ you." She repeated again with more emphasis.

"Where?"

"…Hmm. I'm not too sure." She replied sarcastically.

Neji scowled, still not getting it.

"…"

"You really don't get it?"

"Would I be irritated if I didn't?"

"Guess not…" The mused counter came. "I'll tell you later. This is one of the things I've been doing during the training trip." She nodded to the family as they went back into their den, bowing as much as they could with the pressure of their children on their back. "I've learnt many things with the Kage Bunshin trick."

"I see. We've both done a lot."

"You've become a respected Jounin." Richochet stated and looked at him with more softness than she gave to others. "I'm impressed Neji. Still, you won't be able to beat me in a match." The girl challenged, looking forward as she jogged off to her home.

He caught up easily to her side, looking down to her. "Of course I could. That mess in the forest back there was nothing compared to what _I_ can do to your body in a match."

"I wouldn't mind you doing _anything_ to my body if it was like earlier." Came the low, mumbled reply.

"Hm?" Neji turned to her from jumping up into the branches as she ran the ground with fleeting steps.

"Nothing."

"Really? I distinctly heard you not minding me do anything to your body."

"That's nice. You must be hearing things. The wind, maybe?" She said bluntly, hiding her mocking grin.

"…I don't think so."

"…" She shrugged and jumped powerfully to jump over the huge trees and into the sky, staying the height of her stalker cloud and grabbing onto it, lifting herself to the top of it. Chakra buzzed into it from her, letting her stay on top as it powered her back with lighting. It was a continuous circle that let only her, who had no pain receptors to lightning, touch it. It was like a massage for her actually.

Looking around form the top of it, she stared down to figure out where she bought the house. It was on an outer ring of the village and near the mountain with the five Hokage heads. The top of it had a cloud picture intact, with three lightning bolts. She'd gotten Deidara to hire a painter for it and Naruto asked the same – out of her money of course.

Cheapskate.

Noting it was to the left, she patted her cloud as it descended to above tree level by her command and jumped off to race with Neji on the branches. "This way."

In a minute they appeared next to the three story house with a basement. It was slightly smaller than a mansion and far smaller than the Hyuuga estate, but it also held a large plot of forest and grassy area. The place was coloured pure white and the windows and the door lava orange with a dark red tribal design on the outline.

"I don't think it's your house." He replied mockingly, looking at the colours with a roll of the eyes. "The colours just aren't you."

She gave a short barking laugh and put her hand on the pad it had instead of the door having a lock. "It's chakra encoded to me. I did it when I sneaked off once to come back here." Moving inside, she took off her sandals as quickly as she could, walking bare footed to the living room. Neji simply copied her, propping his shoes behind hers. "And right under your nose, too."

He twitched.

"It has no furniture yet. That's in my scroll."

"Isn't that helpful."

She gave him an amused look at his sarcasm. "Do be quiet, slave."

Neji shut up, grimacing, remembering she hadn't stopped him being a slave yet.

"So it's got five bedrooms, four on the second floor, mine at the top. Three bathrooms, one on each level. The kitchen is on this level as well as the dining room and living room. The base for storage purposes. The second level also has two spares rooms for whatever." She gave a quick description. "All rooms are large. Oh and there's also a library of all the books I collected down there the one time I came back during the trip in the basement. They're in scroll forms within a scroll since there's so many."

Neji raised a brow silently.

Richochet smiled slightly, thinking back to her two boys. "Naruto, Kino and I have an interest in knowing everything on anything we suddenly like. And we also get Kino his medical books on everything from bones to herbs that could help. We adore him that much. It's odd, but I rather have a fixation on kids and their innocence that I want to preserve for as long as possible." She paused and turned to him. "We're going to have at least three by the way." She frowned with an amazed blink. '_I can't believe I'm planning our children._'

Neji nodded, giving an amused grin.

Shaking her head, the hanyou carried on, not used to talking so much and simplified it. "It's over a good thousand books in that place. And it's all types. I even have the first editions of Jiraiya's works." She smirked at him, lights playing in her eyes. "They're not too bad. Could use a little more character development though… You can talk now."

"Disgusting." He shook his head in disgrace. "And for one of our Sannin to write them. Those books…"

"Are funny. As if half the stuff could happen in there just that quickly between humans." Richochet shrugged at him.

"Indeed. Just humans?"

"Demons are battle designed. We are thought to die quickly, so we have overly forceful emotions powering us to claim a life mate. It's very draining." The Lightning Mistress shrugged lifelessly. "Which is why it goes quickly and very intense and only builds until we die in about ten to twenty years. That's the past with demons, not the now with demons. I am lucky it will only build."

"What will?"

"Emotions. To unlimited amounts."

There was a pause as Richochet stepped into the house and looked around in interest. The walls had a dark shade to them and there was a light wooden flooring. "How is the colouring? I didn't design the interior. What colours are they? I can remember colours."

Neji grasped the fact she missed colours in her life and answered right away. "It's fine. Very good art. Soft blues and oceans blues. The flooring is light oak as a colour." Neji commented on some of the pictures on the wall, letting his previous question go. There was a different theme for each room and this one was of a deserted island at night. "These are just pure white sand coloured and the moon and stars are pale bluish silver. It's delicate. Who drew them?"

"You really like them?"

"Definitely. Who?"

"…You sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

"…"

"Well?"

"…Naruto. He's extremely talented with Genjutsu and so with his art. His vision is inspirational."

Neji scowled in a few embarrassed moments before sighing. She had tried to save him, but he persisted. "Everyone's good at something. Did he come with you as well when you came here?"

"His Kage Bunshin's went wild in our houses." The reply was flippant as she stared at the stars on the ceiling. They were merely bulbs of paint with chakra that lit up when a person entered, whether a person want it or not. They could dim, so that was okay. The place was also scented with candles, and they gave off an ocean scent and a scent of coconuts.

"It's very creative." He complimented idly. "Are all rooms like this? Trying to inspire the reality of the pictures?"

"Yes. Fabulous isn't it?"

"And your room?"

"Well, he called it 'A fruit paradise' so I'm guessing pictures of fruits over it."

"Fruits?" He questioned, finding the stairs as he walked out of the room and back into the corridor, turning left to go up the stairs and continued on to the top level as she followed.

"My preferred food type is fruit. More than any other fruits, I like lemons, cherries and lychees the best. I always have. However, you've given me a liking to apricot."

"Hmm… I thought you might have. Good." Neji stopped on the stairs, looking at the square piece of wood he'd have to open to enter the room. He put a hand on the pad and it opened for him. "It opens for me?"

"You have my blood in you. You walked in with me. This house is alive with my chakra. It _knows_ you like I do."

A house knowing him was the weirdest feeling he'd ever had.

"…Right…" The Hyuuga climbed into the room with a grunt, standing up to look around quickly. He ducked back down with a shake of the head and put out a hand. She grabbed it with a nod to him and shut the 'door' with a kick of her heel. When she looked around she had to sigh.

"Stupid Naruto."

The room was filled up with fruit plants around the side, and with one wall as strong glass that had a huge curtain to pull over it, the plants could live easily with some watering. On the opposite side was another curtain, but a way away from the wall it was against, and she had decided earlier would be filled with furs and pillows for a bed instead of having an actual mattress.

She let Neji look at the plants as she went to investigate her new bedroom space. The whole of the landing was about the size of a tennis court, and a third of it was intended for the bed as that was where the curtain cut it. She would put her fur there to keep her warm and add the pillows there at the edgings of it. Apart from the edge that had a fireplace and a shelf above it.

Taking out the scroll, she bit her thumb, undid the scroll and let the fur bamph in as it was summoned landing with a small thump. It was her own fur, since she had shed her skin only once and it had grown back instantly. This is what she made the clothing from, but this state was just purely natural yellow fur. Large pillows that you could drown in were stacked up hazardously in a single line before she tipped them over and sorted them out.

Neji lifted the curtain over him. "I don't understand how these plants-" He dropped the curtain absently as he stared at the huge fur in shock, eyes widening the most she'd ever seen. "This fur is huge, It's even climbing up the wall… And it's doubled up?"

Richochet chuckled and gave him a smug look. "It's doubled up _thrice._ That's how big I really am."

"It's hard to believe you're a half demon sometime." Neji replied, bending down to touch the fur. It was light and the softest thing he had ever touched. Sparks lit up after he brushed it, following his hand like tiny fairies, making his hand tingle in the calming massage like sensations. "Things that remind me of you being demonic still surprise me. You're just so _human_. It's odd to think of you as anything else." He said lightly, seeing no reason to have a loud voice in the calm place.

"It doesn't bother me much, knowing I am something of a hated symbol." Richochet sat down and lay down on a pillow leisurely, relaxing, hands behind head. "I fit into the role better than I do fitting into a human role. The laws are about strength and weakness of person, not about personal thoughts on right or wrong."

"More apart of the animal world then?"

"…Yeah." She replied deliberately slowly, wanting to fall asleep, closing her eyes. "You could say that."

"You'd fall asleep in your clothes?"

A dreamy nod.

"Mm, sure. I don't mind."

"They'll get wrinkled."

A lazy shrug.

"I'll buy more."

Neji scoffed. "You have that much money you could buy a new set of clothes daily if you did this every night?"

A small smirk.

"Yes. I killed a lot of bandits. Why? Want to take my clothes off?" She asked sarcastically.

"You killed a lot of bandits for their money? Richochet…" The Hyuuga frowned at the information, thinking of the thousand ways she could do that.

He shook his head. It was best not to think of that. She was demon, it meant nothing to her.

"Exactly." She replied to his thoughts. "You really are too kind."

"To your standards. Anyway, if I need to take your clothes, I will." Neji shrugged himself. "I'm a guy and you're a person I find myself obsessed with. So, why would I mind taking your clothes off, Seishou Richochet?"

"True… Go ahead, _Hyuuga Neji_. It'll give me an easier time of seducing you."

Neji rolled his eyes and took _his_ weighted top off with a flick of the hand, folding it after on the ground. His trousers and 'skirt' came off, also to be folded and put on the clean ground. Maybe her weasels looked after it. He stood in black boxers, taking off the Konoha hitae-ate he had placed around his forehead and put it down on the clothing.

"Neat freak."

"One of us has to be in this house." He retorted, kneeling next to her and lifting her up into a sitting position. He undid the two buttons and the top fell in two pieces, baring the tightly wrapped chest form under her armpits and down to the bottom of her ribs. The scroll carrier and kunai pack came off and with it the pack she held her blades and gloves in. Her body was tanned, and she had a few scars around her ribs.

There was also the tattoo's she'd had from her world. A silver crescent moon outlined in pale moon blue with a jewel between the two points - an emerald – was on the left pelvic bone. Her tribal weasel one was on her leg, head resting on her right hip. It curled protectively around her muscled and curved thigh deliciously, its' eye also a diamond shaped emerald, both halves of the same whole.

"Usually, people have more modesty." He noted.

"I had to wash naked in the same place as Naruto at the same time because Jiraiya demanded it for Anbu training just in case we have to go as a couple or something." Richochet stated softly. "You haven't even seen my womanly parts, so I have no notion of modesty. Yet. It depends on my mood."

Neji glared at the thought of her and Naruto… _naked together,_ ignoring the gnawing of distasteful jealously at his stomach but nodded anyway, lips thinned. "Oh?"

"Doesn't everything depend on a mood?"

He settled his features into a neutral face. "I suppose."

Her skirt came off, leaving her in the black short shorts. To her they were black, to Neji, who could see in colour, they were dark red, the same with her sandals and skirt and the eye shadow that all went brilliantly with the small red dot in her eyes.

Neji felt her be in motion and snapped his head up as she moved towards him swiftly.

"Why do I like you so much?" Richochet suddenly asked him in confusion, grabbing his chin harshly. "Why don't I love you like a brother or a best friend? Why do you attract me so much, Neji? Why do I want you to stay with me? Why?! Tell me!!"

His mouth opened but nothing came out, shocked once more.

"You've changed me. I used to hate people who wanted to get close to me…" She murmured softly. "I used to just want to kill everyone because they could never understand. They used to go around being friends… I wanted so much to join in, to be so stupidly oblivious, but I couldn't. And then I came here. I got you. I got an down right arrogant, know it all, ballsy, stick up the arse, bloody perfectionist Hyuuga. And I can't help but… want you."

He stared at her with a small smile.

"…" She sighed and let go of him, head dropping. "And you smile after being insulted so violently by myself. You're so confusing. Why do I like you a lot?"

"…"

She lifted a hand to his cheek feeling the heat from her fingers disappearing rapidly. "…That'll …That'll bruise."

"Why does anyone like anyone?" Neji asked in a whisper, tapping her chin up to connect their eyes. "I'm glad you do though. I will give you everything you want, everything you desire. I just want to see a true smile on your lips when it's only us."

Richochet closed her eyes and then opened them slowly, a very little smile tinting her lips. "It's getting harder for me to not smile around you." She grasped his face within her hands, sitting up on her knees to draw him close as he peered up at her. "You blaze me up in flames more than my lightning ever could." She pulled him forward as she clicked her lips together with his, leaning backwards so her back touched the fur.

Neji parted, eyes darkened to grey lavender and became intense which Richochet adored, but he was unsure.

"I don't think-"

"Then don't." Richochet said simply, dragging him back down and kissing him again deeply, passionately, heating them up by forcing him to feel her emotions.

Neji groaned and let his tongue delve into her mouth, tasting, drinking, and taking her over her edge of bliss. He loved her unique taste that just couldn't be described properly. But if he tried, he would go for a cool flavour, definitely of lemon that reminded him of a hot day in summer, lounging around. His hand went to her short hair, loving the strands that felt like soft luxurious, stress-calming fur.

Richochet smirked, arms wrapping around his neck, loving the strength she felt in his shoulders as his tongue played mesmerizing patterns on her own, devouring her. Her head buzzed with tidal wave like emotion of lust and desire, care and delight and she felt that familiar stirring in her abdominals.

She felt him melt for all of a minute before he was jolting himself back up again breathing deeply, tongue idly running over his lips as he tasted her and his lip balm as a mix.

"Eh?"

"Not that, not now." Neji said, nodding to himself, on all fours over her.

She pouted at him, frowning.

"Am I not desirable to you?"

"You are _more_ than desirable for me." Neji responded, giving her body an admiring sweep of the eyes and looked back at her with such caring eyes that it stunned her. "It's just…"

Richochet shook out of it and laughed. Slowly stopping, she let a hand trail down his neck. "You really are too kind." Her hands dropped and covered her eyes, hiding the immensely pressing feeling of sharp, stinging rejection deep within her.

"Tch." He took her hand away from her eyes. "You might not be a kind person to all, but I know it's in you to be caring for at least me. Just one person, Richochet. Me."

"Fine. If that is what my slave wants of me, I'll be okay with it and I'll try a lot harder." She grabbed him around the shoulders and tugged him down, taking the irritating hair band out of his luscious hair. "Not tonight will we join." She gave out a sigh, wondering why the roles were reversed here when in the books Jiraiya made it was the other way around. "You really are _My Submissive_."

"Explain." He demanded, leaning on her left, head rest on her left shoulder and collarbone, her left hand playing with his long hair. His arm curved her waist, absolutely comfortable, the other large hand coming up above his head and playing with the fur on her neck.

"Submissive, as I've heard, are kind and can control the Dominates action to a point. I can control your emotions to a point because I am a Dominate and you are My Submissive. It is just a name. It's because you are kindness and I am strength. Just like you said I always was." She looked back and grabbed a pillow, shoving it under her head. "Don't think on it too much. I'll worry about it."

"What about-"

"_Don't worry._" She repeated, brushing her hand over his eyelids and closing them. "Just know that your words will have to be direct. A mistake could be fatal to this relationship. Until we mate, it won't for me. After all, it's not as if I'll call you a fucked up bastard who should get shot with a piece of shit in the mouth cause you keep _blabbing_ shit or anything."

He poked her stomach and she twitched, giving a small whine. "You better not. I don't want to get shot with shit by you." He mocked, hugging her stomach closer to feel the small muscles there.

She scoffed, settling into the bed of fur more, dragging him closer as well.

"Stupid… I won't. Unless you want me too."

"…Hmmm. No thanks."

Richochet smiled at the top of his head, resting her right hand on his on her stomach. She smiled wider when his fingers entwined with hers effortlessly, as if it were always meant to be that way and warmth blossomed in her chest in happiness.

"I'm really starting to like this relationship thing."

"I know I am." Neji dozed off as her purrs moved him into unconsciousness. His heart beat slowed, pumping trustingly as she knew all signs of him awake were void.

She smirked, lava eyes glowing fiercely. "I've caught you, Neji, forever and more. I wonder if you realise that." She turned to her fur and by her command and a push of chakra, the fur reacted, blanketing them into a cocoon of warmth. "Forever is a long time. One we'll be enjoying immensely. Just a bit less humanity and we're going to be doing some high sailing, or however that sentence goes."

Her beast growled with pleasure at the thought.

She looked down at his face, running a finger down the smooth masculine planes. So easy to break or tear. He was so delicate as a human, what would happen to him as he got on in life? How could she cope with him if she couldn't make him demon like her? It was a thought she hated and would have to muse about later. And what did he feel with her thinking these things?

Would he even want to stay with her forever?

The thought of him not was too agonizing to think about. She couldn't bear not having him want to be around. Her fist clenched his hair so it crinkled up in her hand, threatening to break. "Don't you dare leave me." Her teeth ached as acid spilt into her mouth, her saliva cancelling out the affects. "You can't." Her voice broke.

'_I won't._'

Her eyes snapped to his head, but he was sleeping.

She tilted his head up.

Eyes closed.

Face peaceful.

Breathing normal.

'_I'm still asleep. You dream the same dream as Naruto. So I dream and connect with you even if you're awake._'

"How do you know this?"

'_A submissive thing. Instinct._' Neji spoke, puzzled.

Richochet hummed in agreement. "I never said goodnight, did I?" She tilted his lips to hers and held for a few seconds before moving back. "I wish you a goodnight, Neji."

'_And you, Richochet. Goodnight._'

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Oi, Richochet!" Someone whispered harshly, jerking her from sleep. Bright coloured hair entered her coloured hair and she looked at the teen in confusion as she lay on her back, totally warm and not wanting to move even a finger at all. "Ah, you're awake." 

"What the hell do you want Naruto?" Richochet yawned and looked down to find Neji still asleep but much closer to her face, head buried in the slim line of silky fur around her neck. "I'm kind of wanting to go back to sleep. Piss off, in the most polite manner."

"Yeah, but it's eight in the morning and-"

"-Then really piss off! If it was noon I'd understand but… Geeze!" Richochet scowled, definitely not in the mood to deal with one of her favourite blondes in the world.

"I need someone to go on my trip with me and Sakura for a mission!"

"Any other time Naruto, I would. Seriously, I like kicking arse as much as you do, more maybe, but not when I'm with Neji!" Richochet hissed under her breath. "And you! What are you doing trying to go on missions when you should be with Hinata like I am with Neji?! Do you not want a mate or something?"

"It's different for foxes than it is for weasels!" Naruto pouted, knowing she was right. "Weasels and Foxes adore being with their mates more than anything, but Weasels want to make sure their every wish is granted and being truthful and upfront and relax with them! Foxes like playing teasing games and playing hide to seduce their chosen mates in and have fun with them! It's just our personality!"

Richochet scoffed and leaned forward to him, making him back up. "Bah! Then you know to bugger off then when I'm busy, don't you?! Are you _trying_ to piss me off on purpose?!"

"I just wanted to know if you'll be the third member!" He said defensively, blue eyes wide.

Richochet groaned, her chin falling on the soft mane of coffee hair. "Does Tsunade have a member already lined up for you?"

"Nope."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

"Did you ask her?"

"…"

"…Well?"

"…I'll go do that. By the way, it's a link to Orochimaru and Sasuke."

"Sasuke, Sasuke, fucking Sasuke. He's a betrayer. He doesn't care about you or this country apart from his revenge. It pisses me off! I don't understand why you keep going back to him. He's more than unworthy of you. You should keep training to be Hokage." Richochet ranted, hating that Naruto kept pushing himself to his limits trying to get this unworthy bastard back. She sighed and gave him a look of confusion. "Then again… You are the Friendship and Enemies one, aren't you?"

Naruto smiled softly and nodded. "Mhm. Gaara's the Hope and Redemption. You're Strength and Stability. Though, why it would be Stability is beyond me… You _are_ psychopathic. Clinically certified by Ibiki; Chief in the Torture and Interrogation Unit. Don't think I didn't hear that through you."

"…I'll hit you, you little bitch. Later though." Richochet gave a manic grin and let her eyes go crazy with the swirls of her Kazangan. "I'm unstable, huh? If I'm unstable it's only because you piss me off and make me go psycho demon."

"Eep! T-Those eyes are s-s-seriously freaky!" Naruto backed up quickly. "I-I'll be seeing Granny Tsunade now. Bye!" He jumped out of room by the hole -in the ground. "I left clothes behind for you guys and I'll update you later!" He called and Richochet heard the tell tale slam of the front door.

Her head flopped back on the pillow. Her stomach growled and she sighed. "Thanks for waking me up and making me hungry Foxy." She let Neji be pushed away very carefully as she moved out from under him and leaned back on her right arm. It collapsed from under her, numb. "Crap, ow, ow, ow!" She let out another hiss. "Pins and needles! Fuck!"

She heard a couple of chuckles and turned to see Neji smirking at her from between tuffs of silky fur.

"Oh hush, you fat lump of human blood and bones. I blame you." She grouched, sitting up again and turned to her clothes Naruto said he left behind for her and Neji.

It was a simple pair of skin tight medium dark shorts and a white tight leather turtle neck top that had no sleeves. White feminine boots that came up to just under her knees with small heels and medium dark wrist bands completed her clothes. There was a small weasel print; the same as on her thigh almost was on the front at the bottom left in the same medium dark colour. She guessed it was dark red or dark orange.

Neji also had simple clothes with little detail to them. It was the standard pair of Jounin clothing that had an Anbu flair and matched her clothes. It was a black turtle neck, sleeveless and stretchy leather – the blonde had an intense liking to it and most of his clothes were now leather – and there were baggy black jeans with black boots that came up to just middle between the leg and the knee. An identical weasel print was in silvery lavender on his upper chest over his heart.

Getting up and crawling over to them, giving Neji a view of her behind, she noted there was a red lacy thong and bra. She groaned. "Fucking fox."

Neji stared at his clothes. "It's dark orange. And why is this leather? And why is the little brat a fucking fox?"

"Good, I like dark orange. Naruto has a love for leather. Can't believe I said that. And this underwear set isn't practical for training." The answer came shortly. Neji smirked as she flashed the set at his questioning eyes

"Well, I must say I like them. Hot red. Delicious." He dodged the pillow kicked at him. "Teasing red Kappa."

"Bah. Demon. I'm a _demon_." She looked down at her chest, trapped in gauze. "Too bad, too bad. Light training then today. I'll hit the books or something. Seals, maybe. Nah." Then she blinked, wondering why she was staring at her breasts as she went on. She looked to the ceiling. "Maybe I'll study some theory on some jutsu."

"Or do a D-Mission." Neji smirked, grabbing his clothing and then glaring at the leather.

"Oh, go do your A-Missions." Richochet brushed him off. Snapping her bindings off, Neji quickly span around, seeing the bounce of her breasts, back facing her as his face warmed at her audacity. This prompted a tease and she wrapped her arms around his stomach, pressing her chest against his back. "Ha! Embarrassment from the great Hyuuga Genius? And we slept together."

"We did not! Don't make me-" Hyuuga Neji squeaked nearly as she moved away from her clothing and slid her arms around Neji's waist, pushing herself up against his back so he felt her curves. "_Ri..chochet…_"

"Whaaat? Turn around and get a nose bleed?" She kissed his broad back leisurely and then moved away from him. "Oh, there goes my shorts." She tossed them at his back, making his tense as they slid down his powerful, bare legs. "Nice arse by the way. Peachy. I like peaches too, nice and juicy."

"Shut up." He mumbled, face heating more. "So bold…"

"Damn right." Richochet flipped on the under wear and tight shorts. "You've been in Konoha too long. Seriously, other places aren't as uptight as this place is. It's so damn… _old and conventional_. Yeesh." She complained, tugging on the white leather top with some effort. "This fucking top… Oi, tug this down for me, would you?"

Neji automatically turned to her. She was half stuck in it and he shook his head in exasperation. "You bonehead. Here." He tugged it down hardly, making her jerk as his hands settle on her waist. "Done. Was that so hard?"

"Errrr… Yes! It's white plastic looking leather! Tough!"

"Lame." He mussed her already scruffy hair up more as she swatted at his hand.

"Let's see you put that on then." She pointed to his top.

Neji smirked. "Mine's stretchy." He demonstrated its stretchiness pulling it out and in. "Now I understand why you called him a fucking fox. Tricky little bugger, isn't he?" He put his clothes on hurriedly as she grabbed her boots and shoved her lower limbs into them, zipping them up on the inside. "He must love pissing you off."

"…You suck. So bad." She stood up swiftly. "Anyway. I'm going to go and find the Hokage. See what I can do for my ninja level and group and stuff. I don't what's happening in that department."

"Seeing as I'm your slave, I'll join you."

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"Naturally we were going to join you and Mizu and another male as a team." Tsunade informed, hands clasped before her and eyes serious. "As it seems, she has been part of the Akatsuki… Or Orochimaru's spy for them. The Akatsuki has been around for years. Only members have been in there for more than three years and this is actually a law in this for getting the Jinchuuriki. Judging from this, she must have been there… before she 'came to this world from another' like you two said." 

"Are you calling me a person out for the death of this city and to take it over?" Richochet crossed her arms. "Or something along those lines? Why would I want this country? No thanks." She scoffed. "I'm not part of Akatsuki. Why the _hell_ would I do that? Get myself automatically killed? Piss off. And Orochimaru? With that jerk 'Sas-_uke_' Naruto keeps going on about? Hell no, again. I'd end up ghosting the pair of them."

"You have no intentions of a destructive nature to Konohagakure no Sato?"

"I don't plan anything bad on Konohagakure no Sato." Richochet sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Hokage-sama, could you get to the point?" Neji said impatiently. "We've come just to see what is happening with her career. I understand what you're saying is fine. You're the Hokage, but it's foolish also. Did the council ask this?"

Tsunade sighed. "Yes. Having told them of what you are, they were fierce in you being either killed straight away or banished or put on a very long term mission to keep the village safe from the Akatsuki."

Neji scowled, and crossed his arms. "Over my dead body is she leaving my sight for so long."

A twitch of her mouth told them her amusement. "I can see you are… protective. I agree on this injustice, but the council are merely looking out for their country too."

Richochet and Neji traded looks. They looked at the Hokage. "Yeah, so? We understand."

"Good. Now you know why you won't be taking missions Richochet." Tsunade waited for the explosions.

Richochet stared at her. "So...I'm not a ninja anymore?"

"Correct. However, you can still learn jutsu and such." The hazel eyed female said, now very wary of the girl. She hadn't scowled glared, snapped, sniped, said anything harmful or anything else she remembered the girl for. "There's no law against it… Yet. And it's not like your body will forget the things it's learnt if we use a Yamanaka to take the memory being a Nin away, especially since you've been doing this before you were here."

"You know, you're not giving me reasons to like this place anymore." She replied, eyes deadly slits as a sneer hit her features. "The only qualm of mass murdering this place into a bloodbath I have is four peoples wants. Neji, would you mind if I killed everyone but our little group if they tried to kill me for something I have no control over?"

"…I hate to say it, but yes and no. Though I'm more inclined right now to say no." He replied and then took a different path. "I wonder how Naruto will take this. One rival running away, one rival not allowed to become a ninja because of being exactly like him and another already Kazekage, dead and alive."

There was a silence.

The Hokage stared blankly at Richochet.

Richochet stared out at the village. '_If not here, then why not… with Mizukage-sama? Rakuin wouldn't mind would he? We co-operate well enough and the people could use a person who helped them take away their old bastard of a Mizukage._'

'_Would you really?_'

Richochet suddenly smirked. '_Sure, why not? Join me?_'

'_I am your slave or I get banished. Either way, I'm leaving._'

"My apologies, but please hand in your Konoha hitae-ate." Tsunade asked Richochet. "Or slash it and become a missing-nin."

Richochet frowned. "It's at the Hyuuga Estate."

Neji simply undid his and tossed it on the Hokage's desk. "As a free, curse mark made void, member of the Hyuuga clan, I am her slave and as such follow her lead or be banished from the village I was born in. I am duty bound to do no other."

Richochet bowed slightly. "I will have it over soon." She turned to her 'fiancé'. "Take me to the room it is left in?"

"Sure."

He held her around the waist gently and poofed out.

Tsunade put her head in her hands. "Two of my most powerful ninja's. Gone. Even if one was a bitchy little shit and the other an arrogant bastard. They did the damn job. That damn council."

They appeared five minutes later. They each had a cloak on them, covering everything but their heads. Richochet dropped the metal and it landed with a clank. Tsunade picked the hitae-ate up and then dropped hers, shocked soundly.

"Sorry, after-effect." Richochet smirked. "Let's just call that the shock of karma. Following the council. Tch. You wonder who's really in charge of a ninja village… Why Naruto wants to become a Hokage is beyond me. They can't do anything in the face of three _pathetic_ and scared judging old idiots."

"Richochet…"

"Like you were thinking any different."

"…" Neji turned to the sorrow-faced Hokage. "We take our leave. Please inform Naruto, Deidara for her and my family and team for me. Good day, Hokage."

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Looooong chapter, ne? But I felt it was needed. How do you guys think of this chappie? The next won't come out for a LONG while so my apologies if you get withdrawals, lol.

Ten words?

_Book. Impersonator. I hate you. Free. Human side. Relationship therapist._

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**R.

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	33. Chapter XXXIII

**BONJOUR! How's you all? Doing good, I hope? Good! Anyway! Another chapter for you all! Aren't I good?**

**Love too...**

_Frozen Tempest - Elewyn2007 - Moogle In Paradaisu - Zero Asakura - Depressing Truths - Hibiki-chan - Songo714 - Blood Zephyr - Sanya12 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Emerald Lady - Neko of Light - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Joster13 - Kyo! - lilmeika - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Kimura Akira - Omega Shinobi._

_Onwards people!_

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**Chapter Thirty Three**

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"I can't actually believe I left." Neji remarked, as they stepped out the gates. Richochet turned to him as he stared up at the big gates with the kanji on it in green. "Yet, I don't feel that bad. I'm feeling… more free."

"Free?" The hanyou blinked, blowing some air from her mouth to brush away the strand of hair that blocked her vision. "I don't think I understand you sometimes, birdie-boy. You're my slave and I've taken you away from your home. How is that _free_?"

He smirked at her. "Well, curl-girl, for me it's rather simple." He looked back at the gates. "All this time, all the years of my life since my father died, I'd been pent up with anger and grief. I never let someone console me and lashed out if they did." The Chuunin exams with him against Hinata appeared into his mind, Richochet silently reading the thought. "Now I'm leaving that place and starting anew, it means the world to me. Anyway, you need your tree."

"I need my tree." Richochet nodded, face peacefully blank. "I can understand that. But, you know, you'll have to go back one day and get over it. I'd… like that for myself." She paused her voice going softer, prompting him to move closer to hear. "One day, when I'm ready."

"And when will that be?"

"I don't think I'm mature enough not to just outright kill Grandfather. And I've done far better here than I have there. Less clogged up. I think that's why I was able to attain relationships with people. If I hadn't come here. I probably would've had more breakdowns that weren't good for the body and end up in prison for being a serial killer. Or something…"

Neji scoffed. "You've had one here."

"Sorely needed. It was just the need to be wanted. Humans and Demons are alike in that regard." Richochet walked away from the gates, staring up to the sky. "You can't tell me you've never felt lonely. Loneliness and silence kills for worse than a cut to the throat. It's like a torture, trying to go through the days and each one the same, thoughts asphyxiating you…"

"Hmm. I can attest to that." He agreed quietly. Then the male looked the way they were going. "This is the west gate. We have a choice of two areas. Suna or Kiri. Your choice, oh great mistress." He added sarcastically.

She twitched. "Shove it." The sixteen year old look up and then blinked. "What day is it today?"

"…Ah." Neji counted the days. "May the seventh?"

"…Two days."

"For what?"

"The day I was born." She shrugged. "My sister used to always give me a flower that meant something special and a small jewel. The emeralds in my tattoos are just that. A present from her and she said they had to be small or I wouldn't wear them. She was right...I pawned the ones away straight off if Grandfather gave them to me."

Neji nodded. "You really don't like that man do you." He stated idly, stepping in line next to her.

"I never will, but I'm forgetting him. What about your uncle and the whole Hyuuga branch thing?"

"You've given me a reason not to dislike him anymore."

"Yeah, I guess."

"So, Suna or Kiri?"

'_Suna or Kiri?_' She thought to herself, Neji listening in silently as they walked. '_Gaara in Suna or Rakuin in Kiri? The heat irritates me and water ticks me off. Sand itches me and water… I can control somewhat. Well, that's done. Kiri it is._'

'Visit me.' A distant voice said to her.

'_Gaara? Oh, and why would I do that?_'

'I need you to teach me control and there are problems in your lines that need fixing.'

'_Very well. Suna first and we discuss things about him and then Kiri._'

'_Discuss things?_' Neji raised a brow as they jumped into the branches to head for Suna.

'_Our Gaara is another one who knows Lord Toko's identity._' Richochet thought to him and she could feel Gaara's acceptance. '_He had a right to know of who I am like you and Naruto, Neji. Demons don't lie to each other._'

'Never. And why are you suddenly visiting places?'

Richochet was silent for a moment. '_The council… they've removed my career in being a ninja. And why do you think?_'

'…I am not pleased.'

'You're_ not pleased? I'm pissed over here._' Richochet sped up her speed, triple the amount. '_Can you keep up?_'

Neji rolled his eyes. '_You _are_ a demon, so I'll try my best._' He bustled past her easily, smirking back at her.

'_Challenging a demon, human? My, my, you are arrogant, my dear Neji-eji!_'

'_I have to keep up my reputation._'

'_Puh. Reputation my foot…_' She realised she was falling behind. '_HEY!_'

'_So slow. Lightning weasel, my foot._'

She growled out loud, trying to keep the smile that threatened to bloom off her face.

"Oh, **What**ever!"

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Richochet gave a semi-concerned look to Neji as he slowed down. "We're a few hours away." She spoke looking around the desert, only being guided by Gaara's demonic energy foremost in her mind. "There's a cave over there." 

Neji looked up at the girl who was barely sweating like he was, taking deep breaths. "We can keep going."

"No, I must make sure you won't die out here." She nodded to herself and stood in front of him, keeping him in the shadow. The black leather must be killing him to wear. She turned to the cave in the distance, two miles away or so. It was hard to figure out; Naruto would be useful in this position. "Maybe I'll just carry you to Sunagakure no Sato… No I'll let you keep your face. For now." She smirked at his disbelieving look.

"Hell no."

"Well then, throw away your pride to let me get you to the cave."

"…No."

"Neji. You're about to collapse."

"No."

"No one else is going to see!"

"…"

"I won't _tell_ anyone!"

"…Fine."

"Good birdie."

"…Weasella-kun."

Richochet smirked in triumph and then her ears picked up a sound. Her head turned to the opposite direction form Neji to the left of the cave and her eyes narrowed. "A sandstorm is coming." She murmured to herself. "And quickly. Stand up correctly."

Neji stood up properly from his bent over position and she hastily grabbed his hand and tugged them over her shoulders, turned around and grabbed his wrists, jumping, vastly covering the distance. He grabbed her tightly and she grabbed his thighs, effortlessly touching the ground without a sound and then speeding even faster then they had gone.

Seven seconds later and they were in the cave and Neji found himself sitting in a cool cave. His surprise wasn't new to her, but she smiled slightly at his impressed look and then smirked. "In a human body, my demon 'folds up' so to speak and becomes 'thicker' in power. As a Lightning, I'm rather expected to be fast, don't you think?"

"Yes." Neji leaned against the cool rock of the cave, exhausted. "This sandstorm should last a few hours." He noted and watched as the stalker cloud finally came into view and covered the entrance. "Richochet?"

"No one can pass unless they desire death. Apart from me of course. Unfortunately, that does not include you."

"Because I'm human?"

"Because you're not lightning demon. Even Naruto and Gaara couldn't pass. I'd be able to do it until I die, thousands of years into the future, and I'd still be the only one to do this."

"Thousands of years?"

Richochet gave a weak smirk and turned, leaning her left shoulder against the wall, away from him. "…"

"Do you live forever? Literally?" Neji asked, putting a hand on her lower leg so she knew he wouldn't let go of the answer, making her twitch and flex her leg muscles inadvertently.

"More than any human ever could."

"I'll die before you?"

"…"

Richochet felt her stomach drop and her chest tighten.

Oh Shinigami-sama…

That thought.

"Tell me."

"Yes." Her shoulders lifted as her head bowed over, moving into herself. "You'll… die. I'm not immortal, but I'm a demon who has longevity. Longevity is looking a certain age for the rest of my life. I'll most likely choose something in my twenties. So I can be killed, but it'll be hard." She put a hand to her head, covering her face. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I'll be leaving you alone?"

"I don't _want to talk about it_." She replied hardly. Let anger take over sadness. It was easier to deal with. "Leave it out, would you?"

Neji stood up, tiredly. "I can't. I don't want you to be alone without m-"

"Just _stop_!" Richochet turned to him. "It's hard to listen to! You're going to die before I do! I know! This sort of thing has been on my mind for days! Months! Years! Demon emotions are hard to cope with when you have a human like mind! They twist your mind to think that it's worse than it is! It confuses you and then suddenly it IS worse. I'm stuck between right and wrong and power and weakness and want and need!"

Neji was suddenly flooded with a heavy load of emotions that it made him crumple at the knees and head swim. He fell to the floor, grabbing her hips to steady himself.

"This is madness. Richochet, don't think these things over so much." He commanded, deciding to hug her around the waist and bury his face in her stomach. "Think on the now and not the then. You keep thinking on then and the now is wasted. Don't."

His words were muffled but Richochet immediately reacted. She blinked and ran a hand through his sand filled coffee coloured hair. "I shouldn't do this to you. Giving you my sadness isn't very kind of me."

"You're not a very kind person."

She scoffed and grabbed a tuff of has locks, shaking the hair out and idly watching the sand tip out. "I should be to you." She clenched her stomach as he buried his head deeper and shivered. Stomachs really were the most sensitive part on a weasel. "This is so weird. I'm not used to comforting people or doing this stuff with another person."

"Well, you are rough around the edges." Neji leaned his head back, tucking his chin on her lower ribs. He blinked and moved his head back, smirking. "Ah, now I can see your face."

"Hm?"

"Your lovely engorged chest was in the way."

She scuffed him upside the head. "Jeeze…" She huffed looking away, a red tint on her cheeks. Serious one minute and perverted the next. What was she supposed to do with him? Men. "I can't seem to keep up with your moods. Are you sure our genders haven't been switched?"

Neji raised a brow. "I'm pretty sure those woman curves really _are_ woman curves. They feel real enough."

Richochet smirked. "Me too. Otherwise they grew for no reason." She said bluntly, snickering. Neji joined her after a moment, covering his laughs in her stomach. "And that would be a pain and a half."

Neji blinked at her innocently. "_I_ appreciate your pain."

Richochet smirked. "Good for me I have such a _brilliant fiancé_ willing to appreciate me." She poked his lighter coloured curse mark and then trailed over the lines. "This reminds me of a symbol from home…Swastika… 'May Good Prevail' it means. A symbol of fortune. Though it was used wrong. It's rather like your family's use of it with their own twisted form of right."

He scoffed and leaned against the wall, pulling her down to his level to sit her on her knees between his legs. "I guess, since you broke my curse, it is my lucky charm. Sleep."

"But…" She looked at the male for a few minutes, trying to keep the wash of sleep away from her by his demand. "You're the tired one. I have to look after you, I'm the Dominant." She protested softly, eyes dropping.

Neji smiled. "And 'This Submissive' wants his mate to rest with him. So sleep."

"Bah. You first."

He rolled his eyes, grabbed her by the shoulders and twisted her around to hug her back to his chest. "Sleep." He whispered into her ear. "I'll look after you now."

Richochet fell asleep.

Neji smiled and took out a necklace, placing it over her head and under the turtle neck. A kiss was laid upon her lips gently and he stroked her scarred whiskers at the same time, applying chakra like he saw her doing to the baby weasels.

He parted slowly.

"Forever, indeed."

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Richochet's eyes snapped open and blinked as she found her face completely covered by black hair. Her lips tingled. Frowning, she turned her Kazangan on and widened her eyes to see Neji's chakra covering them completely. She looked to the lips in her eye sight and then flicked her orbs up to see the peaceful expression of sleep there. 

Shifting her head up and she sniffed the locks. Cherry, lychee and mint. While she had a liking for lemon, he seemed to like mint just as much. She really had to stop smelling him or she'd wake him up, seducing the living daylights out of him. She reached a hand up to flick some pieces off of her face. The cloud was in tact. Her eyes swept around the place and she only saw faint trails of their own chakra.

Satisfied she stood up and rubbed her eyes from dusty sleep. She watched Neji curl up for warmth and directed the cloud away, eyes never leaving his form. Leaning down, the hanyou touched the man's cheek.

"Wake up. Or I'll leave you here."

His eyes snapped open and stared right at her. "I was awake before you were."

"Sure you were."

"I was." He lifted himself up giving her a knowing look. "Do I smell fine to you?"

"Yes. More than fine." Richochet said, walking out the cave. "Absolutely delightful." She then mumbled. "Too delightful."

"I'm glad it appeals to you."

Richochet jumped away with a grinning smirk, wondering if he was getting her demonic hearing. '_Damnit Rokubi, you better come to me in a dream soon. I need your demon help._' Her eyes closed, sending her hope for him to come to her. Her eyes snapped open and she turned to the incoming power source that could rival her own. A warning growl echoed dangerously in her small throat.

'_Stay in there, Neji!_'

Her eyes blinked over to the incoming source.

"Who… on earth…?"

Her eyes then widened before slitting into a glare as the being came into view and landed softly on the moving sand.

"…Rakuin?!"

Rakuin smirked evilly, a wicked glint in his eyes. "Sorry, love." The man spoke in clear English instead of Japanese. "But… I'm not Rakuin. Call me… Hmm… What creative name should I use? Any ideas?" He asked the blank faced teenager curiously, an interested look on his face.

"It doesn't matter what your name is. Why are you impersonating Rakuin if you are not him?" Richochet questioned, a demanding tone in her voice as she glared at him deeper.

"My, aren't you bossy?"

"Well? _Don't_ waste my time. I'm sure we both have more important things to do." She snapped.

Neji jumped next to her.

The impersonator smiled fakely. "Oh, I'm simply his twin." He waved a hand and then turned to her. "Where's _your_ twin, Toko-chan?"

Richochet snapped her head up. '_The real one doesn't know this. Didn't I tell you to stay there?_'

'_And leave you without backup? Don't be a fool._' Neji replied coolly, acting completely different from the more caring, warm man she was with seconds prior. '_Keep talking him out._'

"He doesn't have a twin."

"Au contraire, Richochet." He wagged a finger patronizingly, as sand shifted beneath them as the wind blew, switching back to Japanese now. "He does, just unknowing of me, Toko-chan."

Richochet raised a brow and scoffed, the picture of arrogance. "Oh? And how would you know of this name and any association it may have to me? Lord Toko is-"

"Lady Toko." He corrected, a glint of mischief in his ruby-blood red eyes. "You are her, after all."

Richochet paused and stared at him before asking. "What do _you_ know of _me?_"

"Ah, I know everything about _you_. I know you ate your brothers' flesh because your Grandfather made you."

Richochet heard Neji take in a quiet but sharp gasp of air and stilled, face blank.

Rakuin's fake turned to the Hyuuga, pleased at instilling some disgust in the male for Richochet. He smirked. "Oh, yes, she did Neji. Maybe even enjoyed it." The impersonator chuckled malevolently.

"Shut up! I did_ not_ enjoy it one bit!"

"I know your nightmares, wondering if you're real or not; if your precious Shoko was real, if she was even your sister…"

"Piss off!"

"Or… how about how you made your sister commit suicide… You merciless, callous little shit."

Richochet gripped her head, body trembling. Her fears, hates, and truths were unravelling in front of her. "Stop it! Fucking stop it! Who the fuck are you to even speak of these things?! HOW THE **HELL** DO YOU **KNOW**?!"

"And not to mention… Wondering who your father was…"

"_**ANY**_ONE WOULD!"

"Even now you wonder if, possibly, everything is in your mind. If you're in a coma and dreaming this. After all, to get into this world, you were killed being pushed off a cliff." He chuckled, as if the thought were something ridiculously funny and nothing at all, as if it were a childish joke one laughs at to amuse the child cracking it to you.

"GRRR…" Her snarl rose a few degrees in anger and rage.

"Wow, no wonder you're so screwed up, oh psychopathic one."

'_Calm down, Richochet. It'll be okay._'

'_RICHOCHET?! What's wrong, 'dattebayo?!_'

'Calm down.'

Immediately, she let her anger simmer down beneath the surface instead of spilling out, hot like lava from an active revenge filled volcano, wanting to desecrate everything in it's path.

"…I hate you. Oh, God, I hate you. Only three minutes and I want to rip your guts out and feel your blood on my hands." Her eyes bled red at the thought. "Would you like that? I would." Her beast growled hungrily at the notion and she smiled with an animal like snarl. "I want you to shut up about these things." Her whisker marks darkened and went erratic.

"Oh?" He gave her an innocent look, sweeping some jet coal hair from his attractive tanned features, looking like an evil, charming Rakuin come true. "I distinctly believe I heard you wanting to know how I know them. Changed your mind, have you?"

"Don't _fuck_ around with me."

Neji watched on. The tales of her doing these things, wondering these things made him realise he only a very small portion of her life. He knew the basics, but he didn't know what she'd done in her past to fuel these emotions. He knew she'd been cannibalistic. That point of a person wasn't the easiest thing to forget.

Richochet truly was a normal girl at one time in her life. Then she'd turn cruel and vindictive. And now she enjoyed it. She'd been pushed into it, taught to enjoy what she did. And as a child, more impressionable than at any other age, she'd only done what others had wanted her to do. This girl in front of him was still like that.

And because of his own blossoming emotions, he'd only truly liked the arrogant little bitch because she could keep up with him could use her silver tongue against his in a verbal battle without batting an eyelash, but would concede to defeat when having lost.

He'd completely forgotten her darker side.

Her malicious side that she _took pleasure in._

Her own evil side.

And for his own stupidity, he thought it was her demon side; Rokubi.

When, clearly to him now, it was her human side.

How _brainless_ he was to not know that.

Richochet took all his thoughts in and stumbled, weakened by the thoughts. Her eyes became half-lidded and grief ridden. It was true and that was her. A psychopath. She took in a deep breath of air and stood up properly, head up. She was strength and stability. No thoughts of others would bring her down to protect the one she'd chosen.

Not even the chosen mate himself.

"Such rude language." Rakuin's fake 'twin' tutted his tongue. The male crossed his arms covered in a dark grey Chinese top. He wore black boots and black baggy jean like trousers with white gloves on his hands that had special designs on them. "That's not very nice."

Richochet glared at him weakly. "What do you want?"

"I know! Call me… Mana's Jinchuuriki."

Her brow raised in question, voice deadly calm. "You have a demon in you?"

"Of a kind. Not one of the tailed beasts." Mana's Jinchuuriki stated apologetically. "No, no. You see the Tailed Beasts do belong to this world. Other worlds hold different dark beasts trying to gain power. I come from a different one; a different Earth. Identical to yours but from another… plane. And you see Mana rather likes this world."

"I'm sorry, but I'd rather not see it all under one roof, if you follow my lead." Richochet said sarcastically, tensing herself as his face twisted into a dark look. "Tell Mana-chan, _No_. Go be a good girl and play with her dollies. Capiche?" She said patronisingly.

"That's not what I wanted to hear. You see, I wanted to bring you over to my side. Toko is a formidable character and has gained the respect and prestige in the underground. Many follow Toko, follow you."

"My _sincerest_ apologies." Drown in that sarcasm, why don't you?

"I am sorry to hear that." Rakuin's Impersonator growled lowly. "Though, at least I am a real twin and Shoko wasn't."

"YOU PIECE OF-" An invisible force slammed into her, sucking the powerful demonic anger from her body, leaving her with dark simplistic human patheticness. She landed on her front and directed a bolt from her cloud to strike him down. He dodged and she let her electric well within her harshly.

"RAITON!" Bolts of lightning struck viciously as she directed them at him. The red eyes man merely jumped away.

"Electric won't work my dear." He laughed spitefully, glaring at her with dark amusement on his face. "Nor will any element or demonic power you have. As a dark being you have to find someone - Ah, I can't tell you that." He paused suddenly, listening to some unknown being in his head. "My apologies Lady Mana. I meant only mocking! Putting down someone who wouldn't work with your greatness! I-"

Neji slammed his fingers into points, but at the last minute the fake dodged once again. The seventeen kept up, appearing behind him once more as he planned another attack as Richochet stood up sharply.

"Hakkeshou Kaiten!"

Rakuin's copy wasn't fortunate enough to dodge, as Neji's Kaiten went out of control and slammed into him, directing him painfully over to Richochet.

'_If not lightning, fire, wind, water and earth or demonic power, then human could work._' She thought quickly. '_Taijutsu._' Controlling chakra, she slammed it out of her knee as she kneed him in the chest, breaking a couple of the upper rib bones cleanly that should have sliced into the heart.

Or she thought she did.

The skin of the impersonated started bubbling as it fell in front of her, landing on its side. The copy glared at her, skin melting quickly and dropping off. "I am not the true twin. He is still waiting for you to find him. Your comrade Rakuin has no idea of where his brother is. He has given you one more chance, testing the remainder of the power that could trouble him. It is truly nothing for him to fear. As a Knight of my Queen, I beg you join with her. JOIN QUEEN MANA AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!"

Richochet slid on her gloves and snapped the blades into the slits.

"I only have alliance to four people in this world. And one is not your _Queen Mana._"

It smirked, leaving behind bones and organs and drips of acidic skin. A potent gas slammed out of its fizzling mandible and covered her completely from head to toe. "EnJoY tHe PaRtInG GiFt!"

Richochet choked on the noxious fumes, her beast roaring in pain through her mind.

"What the-?!"

"Richochet?!" The Hyuuga jumped to her side in a flash, steadying her shoulders. "What are you feeling?"

"Nothing." She blinked, wondering why with him touching her it disappeared. "Just a bit dizzy." She touched her head, but even that was vanishing into thin air. "And that went when you touched me. It was the initial burst of gas that got me."

Neji sighed and let go, walking a few steps away to decide which was to go.

As soon as he went ten strides her head started to gain an ache she could easily ignore. '_Urk…_' She frowned and stared at the body that had mutilated itself as its' heart was slashed to pieces internally by a lucky shot.

After all if 'Queen Mana' hadn't started him into thinking to her, if his apologizing was anything to go by, then Neji wouldn't have gotten the shot in and Richochet the killing blow by the idiotic man with little battle sense.

Queen Mana hadn't gotten many powerful pawns if this one was anything to go by.

"I'll stay near you then?"

She raised a brow.

"Obviously, I have to be near you and you're fine. When I'm further away, this… disease he gave you starts to wear you down." Neji scowled at the decomposing body in intense dislike.

"Hmm… How to cure this?"

Richochet had a good idea already but she wouldn't tell him just yet.

Neji gave the girl a worried look.

She was slower during the fight then she had been during the trip there.

He figured it to be because of his thoughts, but couldn't find himself truly sorry. Sure he hated making her weak and depressed. He felt disgusted with himself for that. To do that to any person wasn't him. He didn't mind just being arrogant because he had a reason to be. He made Jounin and was about to sign up for Anbu while the others barely got Chuunin, didn't he?

He didn't agree with pure sadistic put downs, however.

And it's not as if he did it on purpose to her.

Richochet was what he thought and she disliked that he knew the true her and thought it so bluntly. Though, she accepted it. He felt that echoing in his thoughts loudly. She was a cruel being.

But for all of that dislike a person was to have, for all the fear and disgust of what she had done, of who she still was and what she was still like, he still desired her.

She wasn't cruel to him. She'd understood being cruel to a being she really liked was something that would come back to haunt her. That was the only reason she wasn't cruel to him.

And he understood the feeling of being left behind by a loved one.

"Let's go, Richochet. Gaara is waiting for us." Neji smirked slightly, and then grabbed her around the waist, holding her on his hips as a child would be held. "I'll carry you this time."

She grimaced but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. See how I agree straight away? But with me… Noooo. Your pride you like keeps you on a leash."

"Like you can talk, Lady Arrogance." Neji scoffed, running and then jumping a few metres after. He looked into her eyes for a moment watching the swirl in fascination.

She smirked and looked forward and he snapped out of it, catching himself before he touched down painfully. Her eyes narrowed and then she just smirked a little wider.

"Don't start attacking."

"What?"

A ball of sand travelled to them at quick speeds. It opened up and engulfed them and Neji was forced to sit down in the ball, turning Richochet onto his three quarter length covered lap and raising his knees around her protectively, arms holding her to his chest where he curled around her as much as he could, chin resting on her shoulder, fingers twisting around hers.

"Tell me, this is Gaara's sand, correct?"

"If you tried hard enough... You could, possibly, feel it through me." She spoke automatically. "Yes, it is."

"Why didn't he come himself? Not showing himself to you?" Neji aid lightly, slightly smugly. "Did you piss him off? I couldn't imagine you doing anything else."

Richochet, giving him an annoyed look, butted his head softly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Neji."

"Ah, I'm just trying to irritate you. I like making emotion rise out of you." Neji rubbed his thumb on her stomach in circles. "Your face can be so blank sometimes."

"Stop that thumb or I'll jump you." She warned, body tensing and shivers ran through her body deliciously. "My stomach is highly sensitive because I'm a weasel demon. I learnt that from Rokubi."

"Is that why I find that part of your anatomy very tempting to touch?"

"Most likely. Don't worry; I enjoy yours just as much."

Neji looked to their legs. '_Is that a good thing?_'

'_It's sounds healthy to me._'

'…_It's you. You're a demon. This is natural to you._'

'_Hmph. True._'

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The ball opened to see them in a room with several circle windows and a desk with the sand demon himself behind it. He stared at them in blank amusement as they landed in the chairs. 

"Well, if you're going to sit us down, do you mind removing the sad from our clothes and such?" Richochet asked bluntly. The sand scuttled along her body, tickling, and exited out of her clothing and hair. "Cheers. So, Kazekage-sama, how've you been?"

Gaara cocked his head to the side. "I feel well now you and your Submissive are near me."

Neji grimaced.

"Just call him Neji, Tanuki-chan. Submissive is such an extravagant title amongst demons. We're comrades, not those with simple temporary alliances." Richochet smirked at his twitch when she called him his demon type.

"Well, Weasella-kun, that's true." His own smirk darted along his lips. Aquamarine eyes with a red dot looked over them. "You are not harmed? You seem fine."

"Only a little off kilter." Was the dry reply. The she went serious and leaned on his desk. "Gaara, for a moment I couldn't use my demon powers. The elements wouldn't work for me apparently and seeing as he hadn't lied to me yet I had no reason to disbelieve him. He knew everything about me; or more specifically, my guilty conscience. Everything I'd learnt that shame accompanied he bared and threw back in my face."

The Highest Ninja closed his fingers together and leaned his chin on them thoughtfully. "Everything?"

"Yes. It seemed like he chose to know about me."

"About demons?"

"Maybe. Did you pick anything up, Neji?" Richochet swivelled around to the male who was listening intently.

Silver eyes looked away from her and out the window. "Not exactly." He directed his words to Gaara. "All we picked up was that this person was called Queen Mana and he called himself a…" He looked quickly to Richochet and then to Gaara. "…Jinchuuriki."

Gaara stared at him with a small frown.

The only lady in the room nodded. "Yes. He spoke of this being coming from a different dimension parallel to my own. It's not one of the tailed beasts. If I had a guess, I would believe this Mana female to be some sort of parasite grasping onto an unknowing person, the Mizukage-sama in this choice, and trying to take control over him."

"This one was an impersonator of the Mizukage-sama." Neji added on for her. He put a hand out to illustrate his point. "It seemed likely to be a 'twin' of our Mizukage-sama; he looked identical to him. Just dark and twisted." The man shrugged, crossing his arms.

Richochet nodded. "He also said something about being a dark being and needing… What?" She racked her head for information. "He didn't say, I think." She slumped back into the chair, huffing, chin in hand on the arm of the chair.

"No, he didn't." He looked at her as she blinked at him. "But the opposite of a dark being would be a light being." He smirked at her confused look, eyebrows drawing down. "It only makes sense."

"The opposite of whatever she is would be…?"

Gaara interrupted. "We have dark beings - us." A nod from his comrade let his go on. "Light beings would be – what?"

Richochet looked at the other two who were staring at her. "What?"

"In your world, what are light beings?"

"What about yours?"

"We only have demons and the Higher Beings." Gaara shrugged. "The Higher Beings are just neutral though. S let me ask again, what are light beings in your world?"

"Like spirits or something?" Richochet gave an aggravated sigh. "I'm not a religious person but… what about… say…. Angels? Messengers from God, who apparently created the world, and are overall creatures known as light beings. They're healers, helpers, guardians and sentinels to watch over you. Guardian Angels. Light beings that only want the best for you. Demons being dark, I would have thought you would have a balance of light and dark."

"Where would we find these angels?" He pressed, red and black streaked hair floating in his vision, but he quickly shoved it behind his ear. "Where do they live?"

"Ah… uh, heaven. Where God lives. It's where good beings go to in the afterlife and bad ones go to hell and the devil. I think the devil was originally an angel that went against God and was banished to hell… or something…" Richochet narrowed her eyes at her hands. "Spiritual things I've never bothered to think much on."

"Can we contact them in any way?"

Richochet shook her head. "No idea."

"You know nothing more?" Neji asked.

"If you ask I may know a little bit." Richochet responded, cocking her head to the side. "But mainly that would be a no. Angels usually have huge wings that are like a doves. I think I remember a little tale that if you rip an angel's wings off you have their powers under your control. What their powers are is beyond me though. Though it's obviously something 'good' as angels instead of our 'bad' as demons…"

The Hyuuga stared at her intently. "Do they live as long as you?"

She stiffened at the question, uncomfortably with the subject of longevity. "It's… very likely. Most likely, actually."

Gaara raised a brow, leaning back in his chair to watch them.

"Stop making a problem out of it." Neji said suddenly, frowning at her.

She scowled back. "I'm not making a problem OUT of it. It _is _a problem!"

"It can be dealt with after this."

"Not to _me_ it can't."

"Why does it bother you so much?!"

"Why doesn't it bother you?!"

"It does!"

"Just not as much!"

"What exactly is the problem here?" Gaara blinked blankly, staring at the two, waiting for an answer. The silence was hard to cope with as the two turned from each other. "Well?"

"Richochet frets too much over the topic of her longevity."

Her metaphorical fur was on its' ends. "He doesn't care about it enough."

Gaara nodded once, beginning to feel like a relationship therapist as he threaded the fingers of his hand together and put them on the table in front of himself. "Neji, this is a big deal to any demon willing to take on a human mate."

"I understand that but-"

"No you damn well don't!" Richochet cut in, giving him a glare.

"Even in her rather… aggressive way saying it, Richochet is correct. No human could understand the feelings of a demon." Gaara stared at him with complete focus. "It may seem far away to you but we feel time differently if you could understand the concept." His focus turned to her. "Have you told him of the fact demons feel things heavily and quickly?"

"Yes." She hissed, gritting her teeth.

Gaara nodded and sighed, turning to Neji. "What you might not know, Neji, is that to her, the three years that have been so long and trying on you have gone by in seconds to us hanyou's. This is what I mean by understanding time. A month really does feel like a few hours to us. It goes so quickly and it's mind buzzing how _we_ used to go so quickly as well and now we don't."

Neji let go of the tightness of his own scowling face.

"You may ask why she's putting it so close to this time instead of later if the time goes past so quick." He received a nod and carried on. "It's our instincts oppressing us into it. We can do no other but tamper down the need to do whatever, but it's always there, in the back of our minds, making it hard to focus on other things." Gaara smirked faintly. "It's a wonder she'd kept from jumping you."

Neji looked at Richochet who was still glaring minutely at the wall. "Why didn't you explain this to me yourself?"

"If I talk about these things… too much…" She replied slowly, automatically. "It's even harder to control…"

"What is?"

"Our beast." Gaara filled in. "As I am more cohesive than her and Naruto's ramblings when it comes to feelings, I will answer this. Feel free to add anything in anytime." He told the dual-colour haired female before looking back to Neji. "Can I ask what you felt when you saw her after all this time?"

"Extreme relief. A weight off my shoulders."

"Well, that weight off your shoulders doubled on hers." Gaara said succinctly. "I even felt it, half-dead, which kept me alive a little longer, even though we hadn't connected as comrades and allies. In fact, I'm sure I felt a few other demon energies activate in reaction to it, though you may not, Richochet. It was you, after all, and you initiated it."

Richochet nodded slowly. "I was more than distracted…"

"Hn." Gaara smirked in amusement. "Yes, indeed. At any rate, you Hyuuga Neji, must try to link with her mind." His smirk widened. "Completely."

"WHAT?!" Richochet yelped, turning to face him. "I can't ever do that to a human let alone Neji! It's horrible for a human… Kino was knocked out for three hours from _Naruto_ whose beast was new when he was just opened to the line. Neji barely uses it because his human side doesn't like it that much."

"He's a human and his brain less like ours." Gaara shrugged. "Do it."

Richochet sighed and nodded. "Fine. Access the line, Neji." She said tiredly, rubbing her collarbone as it itched. She felt the bump of an extra necklace but took out her necklace with the key on it that she knew had always intrigued the Hyuuga as to what it opened. The mature teen stood up and turned to him, pointing at his arm with her free hand. "And give me your tattooed arm, too."

Gaara raised his head in surprise. 'You actually…? My, my…'

'_This?_'

'_Yes._'

Neji raised a brow but stood up also to join her. Taking in the clenching of her hand around the silver key, he noted how she unknowingly signified her anxiousness. He unclipped the button from the slit it was in and he removed the sleeve from his arm, baring the pale skin and the intricately designed tattoo. "Yes?"

"Take it out."

He silently did so and with a spark of electric it flared up and reappeared in Richochet's gripped palm, chain swinging as the pendent glowed from inside it's glass ball case, knowing what was about to happen.

She handed him the key.

Neji took it, already knowing what to do next.

"Unlock it."

Neji cupped the swinging ball in one hand as it rose to him and the key became spectral, loosing its material edge as he placed it in the keyhole gently.

Richochet and Gaara watched intently, waiting.

The ball gently eased out a splutter of mist as it clicked open slowly. A beam of connected the heart to his own and he felt a tingle of warmth on his skin. His body jerked as another beam form the heart connected to hers and started sucking reddish gold energy to the heart and back into him quickly.

Richochet hissed as her beast roared in her mind and Neji snapped his eyes to her as she doubled over, clutching her head with both hands the second time that day. "Gah…" She grunted lowly feeling something snap in her mind and flow through the connection that Neji created. For a moment, the roaring stopped.

Neji snapped his head up when he heard roaring instead of her. "What the-?!" He turned to Richochet but his eyes darkened as he saw her. The beast growled happily and whined at him, forcing him to go over to her. He took several steps forward and captured her hips, shoving her against him, hip to hip.

His teeth bared in an animalistic growl and he let his head fall down to captured her neck in his mouth, and felt her swallow some saliva and he bit slightly deeper, leaving lines of blood trailing into her line of choker fur.

'_Neji._' She said softly, eyes half lidded as his fingers dug into her hips. She gasped silently, enjoying the closeness and the oddly gentle brutality, her mind fuzzing up. She trembled in pleasure once as he licked the blood away, teeth never leaving from inside her skin. He purred and she stared at Gaara in amazement.

The red head smiled at her before turning his face blank and nodding at Neji.

"Neji, stop. Control it." She gripped his hair in warning at the base of his skull but that only provoked him to grind into her, making her take a sharp breath in. '_Neji. Control it._'

He resisted with trouble, but she stared at him with blank eyes and spoke to him. '_Beast, calm down. You don't want this for now._' She simply commanded it, chakra enforcing her demand, forcing it to feel the content and it whimpered, backing up in submission, slightly happier. '_You will do as I ask, and you'll be happy to do so._' It yelped happily in reply, nuzzling the link they held.

Neji blinked as the strain of the demon wore off. "You have to deal with that?" He mumbled against her neck and tipped her chin back to stare at the rapidly healing bite marks. He wiped the blood off his mouth with his tongue absently and then leant forward to lick off the blood in her fur without a thought.

"All the time. Stop." Richochet moved back from him and out of his grasp.

Neji let a bestial growl echo from his throat without thought but as she moved out of his hands, blinked and stopped in surprise. He put a hand to his head and realised the heart was gone from his hand, and as he peered at her neck, so were the chain around her neck, leaving behind a slim inch wide band of fur.

What else had changed?

"It's likely you'll get some red pupil instead of having none." Richochet spoke up. "Maybe with the Byakugan…" She raised a brow and he turned them on at her request. "Ah, there it is. Now, don't you look freaky? I'm so proud."

Neji rolled his eyes and the veins faded back into his face, eyes loosing their red pupil.

"That's your eyes, Richochet." Gaara said in shock. "How did he get them?"

"When I removed the seal behind the curse mark tattoo."

"Excuse me?"

"You have the Kazangan, Neji." Was the reply as she took off her top slowly, only letting it fall to her elbows. She looked at the place of her heart and had to laugh.

In plain English was the words 'Hyuuga Neji' in reddish gold, filled with his silvery chakra, glowing like a beacon to her. She looked up to Neji to see him glowing the same silver and in colour. Her eyes widened in shock. She pointed at him. "You're in colour."

"Obviously."

Gaara chuckled. "Richochet can't see in colour, so for you to be in colour is a huge surprise. She's only been able to see in colour for the chakra and that's it. There aren't many colours for that. Reddish gold, red, calm green, deep blue and electric yellow. And now silver. Yet now she can see you in colour… Nothing else. Not even myself or Naruto."

"You know _I_ could have answered that?" Richochet stated as if it were a surprise to them. She blew some hair from her covered eye and glared at Gaara minutely.

He shrugged at her with his own smirk.

Males.

"That should do it however."

"Do what?"

"Guess."

Richochet stared at Neji and then her eyes widened once more. "Oh."

Neji looked from one to the other.

"Tell him."

"Me? You're the one who told us to do it."

"And he's your mate."

"Friggin sand demon." She griped, crossing her arms and gave a dry look to Neji. "Don't get pissy at me, got it? I didn't realise it would actually happen. It was mild hope on my part."

Neji nodded, eyeing her body watchfully, taking in her pose of leaning against the wall with a slight annoyed look on her face, arms crossed and fists clenched. "What is it?"

"You're a hanyou. A half blood demon… though it seems to be waiting for something to awaken." Richochet took in a breath discreetly, waiting for his reaction. There was a silence. "You can yell at me anytime now…" Another silence. "Neji? You're starting to make me nervous. And I don't do nervous."

Neji was looking down at the ground, his shoulders shaking as a hand covered his face.

"…Neji?"

A chuckle.

"...Why the hell are you laughing!?"

A snort.

"Would you be a bit more serious about this?"

He quickly stopped laughing but still had an amused grin on his face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"If you think me opening your heart will turn me into a demon. Then you really are crazier than I thought." Neji chuckled but took in her previous words and paused. "You just made me serious."

Richochet nodded. "Uh… yeah, so?"

His eyes widened in panic. "You controlled me. Without my permission you controlled me."

A nod.

"I don't…"

A brow rose from her.

"…I've never been controlled by you like this! Why now?"

Richochet gave him a look.

Neji turned to Gaara who nodded at him.

"Yes."

"I really am a… hanyou?" He said, whispering to himself. "No joke?" They shook their heads when he looked up for answers. "Seriously?" They nodded solemnly. He frowned before looking at Richochet and then blinked at her chest. "What's that on your chest? Why does it look familiar to me?"

"It is familiar to you. It's your name, embedded above my literal heart." She half smiled at his surprise as his brows rose up. "You should have my name also and my heart tattoo." She ran a finger over the name at the top from left to right. "Hyuuga." She went down a centimetre, going from left to right again and tapped it after. "Neji."

"I'm glad… Now put your top back on in another's presence." He gave a warning glare to Gaara, who stared back in shock. Then Neji blinked, wondering why he was threatening the Kazekage himself.

Richochet shrugged her top back up and tugged it down over her head. "Crap." Came the muffled sound of her voice. "Neji! Pull it down! Pull it down!"

Neji rolled his eyes and walked over. "You really are a bonehead, aren't you? Come here." He tugged it down easily, the slight sweat on her making it easier. "There."

"Thanks, demon-boy." She smirked, not minding the stiffening when he'd have to get over it. "Listen, don't get a fucking hernia over it, got it? Know you're different form others, better, but don't let it bother you. Right, Gaara?" She turned to the sand hanyou who nodded in agreement and then grabbed his hand firmly not letting go. "We'll take you in. Naruto, Gaara, Kino and I. Especially me."

"Thank you… both of you." Neji said quietly, eyes lingering on their entwined hands.

"Ah, crap! Kino!" Richochet smacked her head. "I left Kino! Oi! Gaara! Take care of him for now! Sakura's family is looking after Kino! I'll be back soon!"

Richochet jumped out of the room via the window the sand ball came in.

Neji and Gaara stared after her, watching her travel at high speeds to the edge of the place and disappear completely, though Neji could still make up the glow around her that he had a feeling only he could see.

"It always amazes me how fast that hanyou goes. As lightning indeed." Gaara muttered to him, turning away and sitting behind the table. "It really is… Now. I'll tell you of the problems in the lines. You know, yes?"

"Lord Toko? Yes, of that I do." Neji stated. "Continue on please. I'll be watching her from here."

Gaara looked at him before signing some documents. "She won't get hurt. She's exuding almost no demonic chakra. Only the basic amount is being used. We'll see her tomorrow at that speed."

"Tomorrow? That's her birthday."

"Well then, after this talk, get her a present." Gaara stated, picking up another piece of paper. "She left her money scroll in your pocket on the way out. The cloak." He explained as to why the man didn't feel it. "One problem is of course, the bandits. She may have protected one village, but other villages she has at her control are being attacked twice as much."

"How many _does_ she have?"

"…There are many bandits, Neji." Gaara said bluntly. "Answering your question however…" He put the piece of paper down, stamping it and signing it after with a brush. "A dozen or so. Enough to make her own country if she appealed to ourselves and the four other countries. She's employed many ninja to protect them, creating her own army if she wishes it to be one. I myself have sent ninja to her cause."

"Cause?"

"Protection from the Akatsuki, from bandits and to keep the lands better off, of course." Gaara raised a brow. "You really don't know much of her works, do you? Many of the people who are in her villages are those who come from villages Akatsuki have destroyed in their lust for power over the beasts. We three hanyou's… well four including you now, have been conversing in mind and letter. We think it likely the taking of Jinchuuriki is due to plots of power or revenge somehow. Whatever it is, we are making our own army to protect the lands instead of the defence of just our preferred countries. Suna and Konoha respectively."

Neji nodded. "I honestly hadn't thought much into it to be honest. The only thought I had of later was gathering as much power I could to protect myself and those I care for."

"You feel slightly ashamed knowing Richochet, who doesn't even come from this world, an idiot and myself have been ahead of you because we ourselves are the Jinchuuriki and would know more of this." Gaara shook his head. "It doesn't matter, most people have done what you have in reaction to this threat. It's a natural instinct to go and seek protection from power or get power. The base we have will be in the largest village and the villagers themselves know of this and have been sworn to secrecy by threat of death or torture."

Neji thinned his lips, not liking the next thought leading from it. "Richochet I guess?"

"All of us. Another problem would be the training of young ninja to be. Richochet has the ability to attract children to her while I have the ability to get older people to listen to me. Naruto has the ability to have everyone either like him or not at all. Richochet has the ability to give everyone strength; a brilliant leader. Naruto has the ability to make friends with all he meets; a grand person integral to a team. I have the ability to give them hope." He smiled half-heartedly.

"A mover."

"Hn?"

"Hope or faith moves mountains. You all make everyone strong in different ways. Gaara of the emotions, Naruto of the spirit, and Richochet of the body, all needed to make a person… a person."

Gaara stared at him and then stared at his two hands. "Yes. Yes, indeed. You're correct. I can't believe I hadn't seen that before."

Neji smirked and turned to him from the window, opal eyes smug.

"I'm just that good."

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Richochet was panting, sweat dripping down her neck and she dropped down from the branches to get some shade. Leaning against the tree, she bathed in the coolness the shade provided. 

"Excuse me."

She jumped and scowled at the person.

A woman stood there, around the age of twenty five, her hair a glimmering black-brown, silky and straight to her waist, goose grey eyes shy and her body position was that of a very humbled person with a shy demeanour. She reminded Richochet of Hinata for a split second, but then the slightly dreamy lost eyes twisted that away from Hinata, giving the woman her own personality.

She wore a black turtleneck short which you could tell was long sleeved due to the coat kimono that had sleeves to her elbows. On her lower half was a black flowing skirt that fell to her knees with little flower designs in embroidery creating a border at the bottom. Her feet held heels like those Tsunade wore.

In her hand was a green book, rather large looking and had a picture of the front of an oddly, unnaturally, beautiful looking woman.

The grey eyed lady smiled. "I am Sayoko. I felt this the best time to give you this." She lifted the book towards Richochet, a small smile on her face. "You'll know when to use and read it."

Richochet raised a brow and took it, blinking when it disappeared. "What the-?! Oi, Sayoyo or what…" Richochet looked up and the twitched.

She was gone.

"Where the hell are you?!"

She gritted her teeth.

"…Gone."

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It came out sooner than expected for me. But I hope you all like! Have fun!

Ten words!

_Deidara. French. Birthday. Kino. Blondes. Charm. Ring. Message. Artist. Weak._

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**R.**

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	34. Chapter XXXIV

**Hey. How's all? I didn't reply again - my bad. Had a couple of term exams. Most I got over ninety percent correct. Most, lol. Still, love you all to bits. Sorry for the hold up. I'll probably update in the same amount of time from last time I updated.**

**Cuddles and virtual cookies to...**

_Joster13 - Zero Asakura - Depressing Truths - Emerald Lady - Kimura Akira - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Tenebras Malum (hello, there new friend and reviewer!) - -Asa-Hoshi- - Blood Zephyr - Hibiki-chan - Elewyn2007 - Sanya12 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Tsukiko of the Moon._

**Love to you all - and I WILL reply to you all this time! Onwards!

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**Chapter Thirty Four**

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Richochet leaned against a wall, taking a breather, her vision slightly fuzzing over so things blurred. She was in Konohagakure no Sato already but the distance from Neji was killing her. Her body was sweating and she could control the shaking to a degree, but she was still weakened greatly.

"Yo, you okay?"

Richochet looked up at Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino and their sensei Asuma. It was Shikamaru who had spoken. They all looked at her in a concerned fashion, much to her befuddlement.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't you." Shikamaru chuckled. "You look like crap."

Richochet straightened up and glared at him defiantly. "Piss off. I'm looking for someone. I just got here from Suna." She rubbed her temple to get rid of the buzzing and her beast growled slightly, lashing out at the pain. "Do you know where Sakura lives? She's looking after a kid about yay high?" She put her hand up to her ribs to show his size.

"Suna?" The sensei asked in confusion. "That's days away, how long did it take you?"

"Doesn't matter. Where's Sakura's house? I need to get Kino."

Asuma shrugged, taking a breath of smoke. "If it doesn't matter then it doesn't matter if you don't know where Sakura is."

"Ugh. Adults..." Richochet glared at him and then looked up at the dark sky. "It's about ten thirty… So five hours. Look could you tell me where already? I'm running a tight schedule. Gaara has to speak to me by the end of tomorrow. So hurry the hell up or take a hike."

Ino blinked her pretty blue eyes and sighed. "I'll show you then. That kid's a real cutie-pie. A Kaguya right? I thought they were all gone?"

"Then you thought wrong." Richochet replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Let's go blondie. I need directions and you're gonna give them to me, alright? Good! Let's go."

Ino snarled at her, flames for eyes. "Don't push me around!"

"Then push _yourself_ around. _Go_ already. What are you? Stupid?" Richochet insulted her, tapping her foot impatiently, arms crossed, glaring daggers. "Move it, yeah?"

"Is someone taking my line, un?" Deidara was on the top of the building looking down in curiosity. He looked at Richochet and gasped in surprise, eyes full of delight. "RICHOCHET-DONO, UN!"

"Oh, don't you dare…" She muttered as Deidara slammed into her, letting them roll backwards a few times before smacking into another house building. "Fucking hell…" She was hugged tightly and her neck was nuzzled happily.

Deidara looked up with tears in his eyes, his concern palpable. "I was told the council didn't like you, un! Where'd you go without me, un?! You should have brought me with you, un! You know I only followed you because of you and Hinata and Naruto, un! And you shouldn't be on your own with Neji! I don't want you to end up pregnant yet!"

"I don't want to have children till I at least hit eighteen, Deidara!" She said loudly, sitting up and rubbing her lower back.

"You're rubbing your lower back, un?" Deidara gasped. "You're not pregnant already are you?"

"NO! You perverted piece of-" A hand was smacked over her mouth.

"No swearing, un!"

"MgmmmnnHHMEM."

"Did you just say the 'F' word, un? Tut, tut!"

Richochet punched him in the arm harshly, making him yelp and move back. His bottom lip wobbled at her. "Oh don't give me that." She snapped, standing up, wobbling a bit herself. "I need to get Kino and go."

Deidara blinked. "I wanna come, un!"

"You're an Anbu of Konohagakure. No. They need someone good here." Richochet shook her head and walked to Ino. "Didn't mean the pause. Let's go. I really need to go and get the boy." She sighed, rubbing her head and rolling a shoulder.

Ino frowned at her and nodded, hands out, palms up, next to her shoulders and she herself sighed. "Fine. I don't like you, but you obviously want to look after this kid."

"At last. You sure take your sweet time."

"A little 'please' would go a long way!"

"Duly noted. Scrapped. Burned. Carrying on?"

"ARGH! You piss me off so much!" Ino pointed at her, flames behind her.

"…So? Hurry up."

"FINE!"

Richochet shook her head in despair. "No wonder everyone get's annoyed at you."

Ino screamed, gripping at her hair.

Richochet looked back at Deidara and smirked, hiding her illness, walking after the stomping girl.

"Wait, un! I wanna go with you, un!"

"Go bother Tsunade if you want to so bad and then meet me at the West Gate at ten past eleven if you're coming! I won't wait more than five minutes!" Richochet called back in an annoyed tone.

Deidara smiled, knowing that she really wouldn't mind him coming if he wanted to.

Asuma looked to him, taking a swift gulp of noxious fumes and blowing out carbon dioxide upwards. "You really going to hang up your ninja career and go with her? She's just a kid."

Deidara peered at him, moving some blonde hair from his view. "She's more than that. She's one of my best friends. Don't judge her by her façade, or by her actions. But judge her by her strength and you will have struck gold."

"…Hmm."

"You don't think so huh, un?" Deidara smirked, raising a brow. "Then you may not have noticed after the time you saw her but she's ill, un. So sick with it that her body is trembling, un. I felt it, un."

"Why didn't you tell her to go to a doctor?" Chouji asked curiously, having not spoken until then, slightly afraid of the dual hair coloured girl. "If she's ill then she should get better."

Deidara gave a nervous chuckle. "You push a girl like that and she'll spear you back, un. No, I value my life, my Chuunin friend, un. Isn't it the same way with your female friend, un? She seems the same anger-level as Richochet, un."

The bigger boy nodded as his team mate and teacher shuddered. "…Good point."

"Anyway, I have to move and pack, un." Deidara grinned widely and waved them goodbye, thinking his thoughts. "Maybe I'll see if I can take someone else, un?"

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Ino rang the bell and waited, patiently. 

Richochet stared at the door, impatiently.

A minute passed.

Richochet looked up at the windows and called out. "KINO! COME OUT HERE!"

Immediately a honey blonde head popped out a window to the upper left. He looked down and beamed. "Where were you Chet-dono?! I missed you, Naruto and my books!"

"Your books, huh?" Richochet rolled her eyes and then turned to Ino. "You can go now."

"Not even a thanks?!"

"…What?" Richochet gave a fake confused look. "Listen girlie, get. Shoo. Go away. Take a hike. Go on a one way trip away from me. Capiche? Get my point? Leave!"

Ino screamed again, stomping off.

Richochet rolled her eyes and shook her head in disgust. "Jeeze. I would have hit me by now. Weak." She looked back up to the lime eyes boy and raised a brow. "What are you waiting for? You've been up later than this. You tired or something?"

"Mm, no. I'm fine. I'll be packing up some of my clothes and leaving some of my books for them in thanks." The boy replied politely with a smile. "It'll be nice for them.

The lady shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. And write a note too." She added, pointing at him.

Kino smiled gently, tears in his eyes.

Her eyes narrowed. "What's wrong? Did they treat you badly? Are you hurt?"

"I just missed your ways, is all." He popped his head back.

Richochet blinked in surprise. '_I was missed by him? It was only a few days…_' She put a finger to her cheek in thought. '_Now why would he do that? I thought he liked Naruto more. I was just a flippin' teddy bear to him._' She scoffed, crossing her arms, leaning on one side of her body.

She wondered if he had been all right. Sakura seemed nice enough so her family should be okay, right? Kino was a bright kid too, so he would be fine and able to wrap these people around his finger. She knew it was in him.

The door opened inwards suddenly. Kino appeared with a large back pack on his back. He was wearing black shorts, shinobi sandals in green and a lime green t-shirt that had the Seishou Chalice and the Uzumaki Swirl next to each other in black. She could tell it was lime green because they matched his eyes exactly and the thought of the colour lime green was easy to remember from her memories.

Richochet nodded. "Looking good, kid."

He quickly ran up to her and hugged her around the waist tightly, sobbing. "I really, really missed you! I was scared you were gonna leave me here with them! They're nice but they're not you or Naruto or Jiraiya!"

"I hate to say it, but the three years travelling and training is over. We're…" Richochet looked down at him as he stared up with tears flowing down his cheeks. "…moving on. I'm living in Suna now with Hyuuga Neji. I want to bring you with me so you'll be with at least one person you know. Even if I am a bitch."

"You're nice to _me_ though, so I don't care if you are." Kino replied stubbornly holding her tighter. "I'll go with you."

"Good." Richochet smirked in a pleased fashion. "You can meet Gaara at last. He's rather blank faced, but I'm sure you can warm him up to you like you do for everyone."

"Uh-huh." Kino nodded, rubbing his face up and down her stomach.

Richochet ran a hand through his head of honey blonde hair once and picked him up, settling him on her hip. She wiped a tear from his face with her free right hand. She looked at the tear from her finger and watched it drop to the ground. "Tears are… pretty amazing. They show emotion in a way no other body function could." Richochet clenched her hand. "Save them for a better person who will appreciate them even more than I."

Kino smiled and held her neck, leaning his forehead on her line of fur. "You appreciate them too much. You even told me how amazing you think they are."

"What's amazing is your maturity." Richochet mumbled to him so only he could hear. "You seem older than me at times."

"It's my charm."

Richochet grinned at him sarcastically. "I'd call it cunningness of a child."

Kino giggled and nodded.

"If you want to!"

"Will do."

"Is anyone else going with us?"

Richochet shrugged. "Maybe. Deidara."

"Ah, the funny blonde man? I like him, he comes around and keeps me company when Sakura and her mother can't. I don't know who Sakura's dad is, though. Her mum's hair is pink too. They're really pretty, Richochet."

"Uh-huh, that's nice. I wonder who the dad is? Any pictures?"

"Nope. Maybe he's dead?"

Richochet peered at him. "What about your parents? Are they dead?"

"I don't know them." Kino said sadly. "I just remember the forest and seeing you and Naruto and Jiraiya and staying with you on your journey. It was weird and lonely to be on my own without one of you. I thought you'd be back in a couple hours or a day. You were gone two!"

"I didn't mean too." Richochet apologized, bringing him to the West Gate. "I won't leave without telling you either."

"Who else do you have to tell?"

"Neji." Richochet smiled at his name and Kino blinked at her. "I have to tell him too. Or he'll be pissy with me."

"You like him a lot. I can see it."

"Meh." She shrugged it off. "He's my special, special person."

"The person that's right here?" He poked the area in front of her heart happily. "The one you said owns it fully?"

"Yes."

He blinked and poked the area in front of her heart again. "This chain is kind of big. I thought it was thinner?"

"I… think it's a new one he gave me." Richochet shrugged and dug into her top, grabbing the chain and taking it out.

Her lava eyes settle on a ring that she guessed was her size. It wasn't gold otherwise she'd be in a great deal of stinging pain so it was silver or something else. There were three precious stones on it; two were diamonds and she would guess the middle to be garnet as she'd seen a whole lump of it when she gave it to Neji himself. On the inside was the writing in French she'd given to him on her letter.

"How'd he know what it said?" She asked herself in confusion. "I dream of you. I need you. I want you. That's what I wrote in French."

"What is it?"

"What the ring? It's an engagement ring."

"…You're getting married?"

"Probably."

"Oh… Um, I have to say congratulations, right? So, congratulations!" Kino gave her a big hug making her wince as he tugged her down, head swimming slightly. "What's the language again?"

"French, from France."

"Furenchu?"

"…Close enough. But yes, French. It's a language closest to English and close to England as a country period. Though, the French and English seem to dislike each other immensely. In England with the English language, when you swear accidentally you say 'Excuse my French' without even realising it. I think it's because the English was on the wining side of the two World Wars we had and the French used to be pissy about it. I didn't like History lesson, so I didn't bother going to them. France has nice cheese though. I like Brie the best." Richochet rambled off a bit.

"I don't like cheese." Kino scrunched his nose up at the thought of it.

"No? It's an acquired taste for some, I suppose… Like coffee and aniseed."

"Eh? Ahneeseedu?"

Richochet was about to open her mouth to explain but closed it. "It's taste a bit like liquorice. Don't worry." She replied dryly as the next question would be 'What's likuuuurishe?' and then looked up at the West Gate to see Izumo staring at her in a strange way she'd noticed sometimes on Neji's face. "Oi! Gate Guard Guy! What time is it?"

Izumo grinned at her nervously and looked from side to side as if looking for someone. "F-Five p-p-past ele-le-leven."

Richochet cocked her head to the side in confusion at his stutter. She hadn't tried to threaten him yet… Weird. "…Cheers." She put the child down and took off her cloak, folding it up a third before wrapping it around her little friends neck and clasping it with the lightning magnet. "There. I'll take it back and carry you under it when we go. Stay warm."

Kino grinned up at her and she patted his head a couple times. "I will."

Richochet looked down at her clothes of leather white sleeveless top, tight shorts and white leather boots. "I'll have to get different clothes in Suna."

"I like them." Kino pointed at the weasel on her top. "That's pretty like your tattoos. Oh yeah!" Kino put his bag down and scrambled around and took out a piece of paper. "Happy Birthday Chet-dono!"

She took the paper and looked at it. She peered at the picture of herself from a child's point of view and grinned. It was a stickman sketch with clothes on, but the face was more lifelike than anything else. Her hair was good in the picture and her clothing was nicely drawn and in line with the other half, symmetrical. She was performing a lightning jutsu with her cloud and was sitting in a random forest, a lightning tornado hurtling behind her as Naruto and Jiraiya dodged out the way, Kino leaning his back on hers with a small smile.

"Beautiful. Simply marvellous. That's how we always are." Richochet kneeled down and gave the boy a kiss on the cheek and snickered at his blush, looking content. "Thank you Kino. I'll keep this always. Would you put it in your bag for now?"

"Uh-huh." He made a circle in the dust with his foot and held the bag out again. He had a worried and sad look on his child like face. "It's not as nice as a ring…"

"These are both special, just in different ways." Richochet stated strongly and Kino smile, his worry gone. "I like it a lot."

"Okay…" He said shyly.

They waited a few minutes, Richochet pacing, Kino sitting against the gate.

"Hey, un!" Deidara jumped down next to them, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek in greeting. Richochet grimaced and rubbed it off and Kino just giggled. "I was gonna bring Hinata but… un."

"Don't be silly. She's head of clan… or heir…"

"That's what I thought, un. So I didn't, un."

Richochet raised a brow and walked away to move out the place, ready to jump away. "Don't bring anyone. These people need them here. We have to be consistent."

Deidara sighed and grinned at Kino in a helpless manner. "Oooh, I was told, un!"

"Move it! And keep up!"

Richochet grabbed Kino and jumped away, forgetting about the cloak. Kino frowned as she trembled, not bothering to control it. "Is Chet-dono okay?"

"She'll - _I'll_ be good soon. No worries."

"…Hmm…"

"I'll be fine!"

"If you say so."

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"Let's stop, un!" Deidara complained and Richochet gritted her teeth. 

"It's just an hour more Deidara."

"Oh come on, un! We have to rest and recharge in case of enemies, un!"

"Well, we can _rest and recharge_ in the relative safety of a _village_ of _ninja_ can't we?"

"Pu-rreeeeassuu!" Deidara hugged her tightly and she growled, dropping to the ground. "Yayness!"

"I am _never_ travelling long distance with you again." She snapped at him and he pouted. "You can be so irritating. Let's see what Gaara will do with you. He'd probably bury you in sand and smash you up."

"I'll give him a run for his money." Deidara announced proudly.

"Against a hanyou? Hell no."

Deidara deflated.

"But it'd be a fight worth watching."

He puffed up with pride.

"YAY, UN!"

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "So easy to please."

Kino nodded and shrugged.

Richochet turned to Deidara. "You can - he's asleep." She blinked and groaned. "How he got to Anbu status is beyond me." The hanyou muttered to Kino and then gave an aggravated sigh to know he was out of it too. "These males… UGH! I'll get something to eat in a minute…"

She sat down against a tree and looked to the stars, listening to the sounds of the forest and looking out for the feel of chakra. The moon was in a waxing crescent at the time she had to herself.

"Happy Birthday to me." Richochet looked to the stars. "Shoko… I'm sorry. But I seemed to have someone that replaced your most important place in my heart. I care for him deeply. Look over him for me. If you're my guardian angel, then guard over him instead of me. I fear he's rather confused right now and needs the extra comfort when I'm away."

Kino snuggled into her more.

Richochet stared down at him and moved some hair from his peacefully blank face. "And forget about me… Just look out for them. I can protect myself easily."

Deidara opened an eye before closing it. 'See, Asuma? You know nothing about her. I'm right, nyah, nyah, un!'

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Mizu sighed as she filled out a report about one of the experiments, her foot tapping in a half hearted manner, tetchy in her actions. She brushed some dust of her knee length skirt of deep blue. Her matching blouse was white but the blazer that went over it was the same blue and had a small stick of lavender in the breast pocket. 

She looked up at the door before looking back at the paper, running a hand through her hair. Doing this a couple more times, she then huffed and got up.

"Mizu." A voice stopped her from moving.

She looked over to Karin with distaste at the nasally voice.

The woman hunched her glasses up snottily and put hands to hips. "You know you aren't to be moving from that space until all of those-" She pointed a manicured nail to the neat file of questionnaires and essays and reports to be filled out. "-are completed."

"Excuse me, but if you look _juuust_ a little bit closer, you blind idiot, those are yours." Mizu sneered, eyes narrowing. This woman was despicably snobbish and condescending. She irritated her. Richochet she remembered being lazy, but did her own work even after a month deadline. This woman Karin just didn't bother, loafing it on top of others instead.

"Which is why I'm giving to you for _you_ to fill out, after all you're far more an intriguing writer than I am." She smiled demurely. "Pretty please, darling?"

Mizu rolled her luminescent neon green eyes. "Flattery will get you no where. Do it yourself."

She opened the door and walked out with her head held high. She wondered, as she walked down the stone cold, slightly fungus covered corridor, where Orochimaru and Kabuto had headed off to.

It had been days since anyone had seen them, even if he kept shipping off from place to place to not get caught by Hunter-nin. He always appeared at randomly chosen intervals to make sure everything was alright and everyone was in line.

She brushed some hair behind her ear and moved into the next corridor. Entering a door, she was surrounded by birds. Smiling as they coo at her happily, she moved to a delivery bird that was one of her summons. "Take this." Mizu handed the small teenage – in the eagle years - eagle a scroll. It was in English so no one could read it but her.

The eagle blinked. "To who?"

"Richochet of the Kazangan eyes. Make sure she get's it, no one else. Remember, Richochet of the Kazangan eyes. Ask to see them. They swirl and her eyes have red dots in the middle."

"I will."

"Thanks, Hane."

Hane nodded his head politely. "Of course, Enzeru-dono."

Mizu smiled at the name. "Not right now, I'm not." She placed a kiss upon his head and he bowed once and flew out the window. She followed him watching his progress as noon arose, the sun rising to the west now as the planet spun. "It's most likely she more than hates me… But she must listen to what I've written…"

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"Oi, wake up Deidara." Richochet kicked him in the shin. 

"Eep, un!" Deidara's bottom lips wobbled. "Did you see that Kino, un?!"

Kino smiled at him indulgently. "Yes, Deidara."

He pouted at them. "But…"

"No buts. You're lucky we found this oasis anyway." Kino tutted, wagging his finger like he'd seen Jiraiya do to them, and snickered at Deidara's grimace of distaste.

"From a kid… un."

Richochet crossed her arms, itching to get to Suna. She could feel her beast reacting all night to the uncontrolled ones of mainly Neji and slightly Gaara. It was hard to control, like trying to control yourself from whacking and shouting at a person when they wouldn't stop poking you. She rubbed her forehead.

'_Neji, what are you doing? Control it._'

'_Why haven't you contacted me before this?!_'

Richochet's head moved back in shock. '_What? I was wondering why you hadn't told me of any of the problems in the lines._'

'_I couldn't contact you because of this beast._' Neji replied in a harassed voice. '_Your voice seems to calm it._'

'_Him. You are male. And you are My Submissive._' Richochet sent her smugness across the link. '_Calm down._' She commanded his beast silently and looked to the others.

"We're ready, un! Time to bear the sands!"

"Ugh. Sand." Richochet jumped away as Kino was grabbed by Deidara safely. "I would have preferred water."

'_Why can I not control it?_'

'_You still have a human thinking brain. I'm guessing you think it's bad to mentally slap this beast into submission?_' Richochet frowned at his silence. '_Didn't I say power over weakness and not right and wrong? Be an Animal! I know it's in you._'

Neji scoffed at her in his link. '_Really.' _

'_Yes._'

'…_Fine. I'll try._'

'_Good bunny-boy._'

'…_What are you on? Bunny? I thought it was birdie now?_' His voice was definitely annoyed.

'_Well, you're never usually a happy bunny…_' Richochet was smirking like mad, trying to stop the laughs coming from her throat. '_Just tell the frickin' beast off! Oi Gaara? Give us a lift? Kino isn't too good with the heat yet having lived in colder climates… if his Clan is anything to go by._'

'Yes. And should I also tell my beast off?'

'_You have problems with this because of Shukaku?_'

'_You had problems?_' Neji asked in the link.

'I did. He wouldn't shut up.'

'_Heh, reminds me of Naruto._' Neji thought to them.

Richochet had to laugh silently to herself at that. '_I wish I could stick up for him… But we all know it's the truth._'

'_Evidently._'

'Quite.'

"Uwah, un! Sand, un!"

"It's Gaara's." Richochet said calmly as she stood as they were engulfed by a huge ball of sand. "So there are no problems."

Deidara's eyes bugged as he was forced to sit down after jolting at high speeds to Suna's hidden village. "We willingly walk into this, un? You realise he uses this to kill, un? I can still smell the blood, un!"

Richochet rolled her eyes. "Don't be a baby. Even Kino's fine with it."

"Kino's sleeping again."

The hanyou frowned and sharply turned her head to the boy who was indeed sleeping peacefully. "Odd… He slept for hours."

"And you didn't, un." Deidara shrugged and then grinned. "Maybe he's taking your sleeping time? When did you last sleep?"

"Yesterday morning. I'm fine." She went for a look inside her. "My chakra is still near full after I used some to heal myself. In fact I feel better than before. I was nearly collapsing being so far away…"

"From another half demon?"

"Yes."

The blonde moved some sand from off his clothes idly. "Is it weird? Different from a human?"

"You humans are so fast… I never realised how quick my life was going. It's like, suddenly you blink and you're legal to do things that you dreamed of as a kid and then you suddenly wonder where the times gone. But not when you're a demon. You remember each moment fully as if it were a never ending story your life revolves around. You can't wait for the next chapter and you get so anxious and fidgety when it doesn't come out soon."

"That's… nice, un. Waiting for something you absolutely _know_ will come." The bombs expert smiled as they reappeared in the Kazekage's office, Gaara once again behind his desk.

"Much appreciated, Tanuki-chan." She sighed, flopping into a free chair. "My head ache is nearly gone."

"Hmph. Nothing to it, Weasella-kun."

Richochet gave him a sarcastic grin and looked to the other two. "This is Deidara, a bomb expert. Deidara decided to jump ship with me. He's my loyal follower… and trustworthy too. He knows Lord Toko's real identity. Gaara this is Kino, though he's sleeping. We found him and have been teaching him anything he wants. He's our toy almost but he likes the attention. Like Drama Queen blondie over here." She poked a thumb at Deidara.

"Hey, un! Don't make me look bad in front of the Kazekage-sama, un!"

Gaara snorted and then went into his drawer. He took out a few of hitae-ate of Suna. "These are for you and Deidara. Both of you are Anbu like Neji has been made. After all you were in Anbu, correct?" He asked Deidara, who beamed back and nodded happily, catching the hitae-ate and wrapping it around his head.

"Yup, un! Though, it did need a bit of flashiness, so I joined to let my beauty shine through bombs and stealth, un." Deidara then pouted after grinning so proudly at them. "That Mizu girl who killed ya though, she takes away all the beauty of it! Using lumps of mud and grass… PAH, UN!"

"It got the job done, didn't it?" Gaara aid monotonously, raising a red brow.

"Another who just doesn't understand… un." He said sadly. "An artist is a lone person, no one ever understanding him."

Richochet gave him a look that told him she clearly thought he had a screw loose. "What the hell are you talking about? Artist is a lone person? Am I and Gaara artistic people then?"

Deidara perked up, clenching a fist. "Yes, un! The blaze of lightning, un! The sculpting of sandy death, un! Do you really get it, un? Do ya, un? Do ya, un? Do ya, un? The quickness of being zapped to dust, un? The swiftness of crunching to pieces, un? Do ya, un?"

"No." The two replied bluntly.

"UWAAH!" He sniffed, falling to his knees and sobbing.

"What's going on in here? And why is Deidara here?"

Richochet looked at the blonde for a few minutes before staring at the musculature figure of her Neji and giving a smug look. "We made him cry because we apparently don't know art and aren't artists."

"Art is a bang, un! Neji, un!" Deidara went to the man and shook his shoulders, making their hair swish to and fro and generally making them look mussed up. "You understand art is a bang, right, un?"

"…I don't care about your art." Neji replied snidely, pushing his hands from his shoulders easily.

Deidara wailed and crumpled against a wall, crying why couldn't people understand him and generally being Deidara.

Neji rolled his eyes and walked to Richochet's chair, holding the back of it. "You were feeling ill in Konoha." He stated gruffly, not pleased.

"…" She shrugged. "It's not as if I can stop it."

"If you stay near me then we're fine." Neji replied swiftly, tilting her chin up to see her throat. It was fully healed, no scars or even marks that he'd been there at all. For a second his beast growled in anger. Of course he'd been there, hadn't he? He meant something more to her than lusty thoughts for taking him.

'_Would you hate me if I said it was half that anyway?_' Richochet asked with a charming feminine grin.

Neji smirked back. '_Of course not. I would be lying if I said I wasn't either._'

Richochet caught the thrown hitae-ate the same time as Neji did, just different ends. A time keeper embedded in silver shone back at her and she nodded at Gaara as Neji let go. "The material colour is…?"

"Electric yellow." Neji finished off, crossing his arms and leaning them on the back of her chair. "Official Suna-Nin Seishou Richochet."

"Is reporting for duty." Richochet smirked. "Doesn't sound too bad."

Gaara stood up, letting eyes rest on him. "Your first duty is a day off. Your Birthday correct? Then Happy Birthday, Weasella-kun." He gave a smirk.

'_I couldn't… stop him. I'm so… weak._'

Gaara and Richochet stilled, tensing slightly. Neji listened in to the link

'_Weak against who? Stop being such a fucking prick, Naruto. You're not weak._' Richochet rolled her eyes. '_You're stronger than most humans on this planet and probably more than Gaara and guess what? He's Kagekaze. You're not weak. You have the potential to become the strongest on this planet. You better not screw it up or I'll beat the crap out of you!_'

'_I couldn't bring Sasuke back!!_'

'_Oh please, you didn't want to hurt him too much to the point of death, was all or he'd never forgive you. YES, Naruto. Don't deny it. I know you. Listen, let him do what he wants for now. He wants to stay away, then fuck it. Let him, the shithead. He'll come crying back to you some day and then you can be there, way stronger than him with your power of 'friendship' and I'm gonna hurl for saying that, I know it, and then you can look down at the dumb bastard and go 'I told you so' and smirk!_'

'_That is such a Richochet comment._' Naruto mumbled in the link. '_How does Neji put up with you?_'

'_Easily._' Neji himself said with a scoff. '_We have a good connection._'

'_How good?_'

Neji smirked. '_Better than yours and Hinata-sama's._'

'_Ha! Told me, 'ttebayo. When I get back I'll go find her and have some fun courting her._'

'_Yeah, now forgetting our connection and your connection for a very brief moment…_' Richochet blinked and frowned wondering why it came to their relationships. '_Sasuke wants to take on his brother right? Let him get as strong as he wants – Orochimaru would probably want the boy up to the highest standard he can get, and who better then the owner of the body? He'll be alive. Either that or he'll kill the Sannin and go, and then we can go help him kill Itachi._'

'_You actually remember his name?_' Naruto asked in curiosity.

'_You think I'd forget a person whose name means 'weasel'? Silly boy._'

'_Boy?! I'm not a boy! I'm nearly as old as you!_'

'_You're like, a year and a half younger than me. I'm seventeen today. Screw you, foxy._'

'… _I forgot it was your birthday! Happy Birthday, Richochet! I'll go bother Kakashi for a new jutsu for you!_' Naruto exclaimed happily, cheerful again. '_Then we can train in one of the Training Area places and-_'

'_I'm a Suna-Nin now, along with Neji and Deidara and Kino when he's older, maybe._'

'……_**.WHAT?! WHY?!**_'

'_Blame the council._' Neji inserted swiftly before Richochet could rant and argue with him and knowing she would and it would last quite a while. '_They found out she was Jinchuuriki. Didn't want two in one. Gaara has control over his council and they agreed to let Richochet stay. After all, she is the only one… though I am a hanyou now._'

'_You mean you guys had sex?_'

'_What?_' Neji said in disbelief. '_What does sex have to do with anything?_'

The three other demons snorted at the same time, making Neji jump in surprise.

'_Has Richochet told you yet?_'

Gaara and Richochet smirked as he looked at the other two in suspicious confusion.

Naruto snickered into the link the four shared. '_Ah, let's just say… we _felt_ your dreams. And we don't just mean dreams… we mean _DREAMS!' He burst out laughing on his end.

Richochet joined him moments after seeing Neji's pure red face and mouth open.

'She even went unconscious I recall Naruto saying.' Gaara added in chuckling. 'You must have been dreaming hard.'

The other two laughed so hard it woke up Kino and Deidara who was fiddling around with one of his clay creations looked up in thought at them, wondering if they were okay in the mind.

Probably not.

They were demons.

Kino looked up groggily, registered they were talking via mind and conked out again, tired still.

"Things seem to always have a way to coming back and haunt you, eh, Neji?" Richochet laughed as he buried his head in his arms and groaned in defeat. She ran a hand through his locks and he shivered, purring a little and she took her hand away in surprise. "You've got a weasel soft spot too."

Neji nodded and muttered to her. "Do it again so I can hopefully forget the embarrassment."

"Ah, sure. It just shows you've a healthy appetite for me is all." Richochet grinned and rubbed his head, digging the other hand into her top to dig something out. "You better, fiancé."

He looked up at the necklace swinging in front of him and caught it with a clench of the hand. "Do you like it?" The Hyuuga asked gently, under his breath so only she would hear.

"Of course, that's a yes by the way." Richochet raised a brow, whispering back but not sure why.

"You're supposed to wait for me to ask."

She crinkled her nose up and then let the face go. "Uh, why when I know we want to?"

Neji gave a blank look. "It's called tradition."

"That's a pretty ring, un!" Deidara exclaimed from his place against the wall, a small clay figure of a pair of weasels in his hand, playing around each other. Then his eyes widened. "You're getting hitched, un?"

"Yes." They replied and then Neji frowned. "But she didn't wait for me to ask."

"I'm not exactly a pro at this sort of thing… un." Deidara said slowly and pointed the clay weasels to go to them and the two figures managed a few steps before he recollected them, tutting at them in irritation at them not working on his first go. "But, Neji, wouldn't it be a good thing if she said yes before you even ask, un? It's called enthusiasm, un. She _wants_ you, un."

The hanyou nodded to himself. "I suppose." He turned to Richochet. "So wear it properly."

"I will when you ask me to and you can damn well put it there yourself." Richochet smirked at him and dodging the bop. "Okay, we have really got to grow out of that! You're starting to like it too much."

"Maybe." He smirked but nodded in agreement to her previous question. "I will. Dismissal, Kazekage-sama?"

"Wait a sec." Richochet spoke up. "Kino's seven and a half, could he join an academy?"

"Talking of being a nin. Richochet, I would prefer you stick to Jounin missions." Gaara spoke up. "You can take whatever missions you want, but do stick to Jounin missions that aren't solo." He finished and noting her glare rolled his eyes. "I don't want you dead for one as you are 'Jinchuuriki' status currently. Two, you have a child to look after. Three, you have other businesses to look after."

"Alright! You win." Richochet put her hands up in defeat. "Kino?"

Gaara leaned back and went through a few of his desks and took out a piece of paper. "Induction. I expect him to become Chuunin soon, yes?"

"No other option. Well…" Richochet turned to the boy. "Maybe he'd prefer the Hospital for healing? He's a far better healer than jutsu user… Though he's decent at Taijutsu."

Gaara blinked and peered at the boy. "Really? We'll always need more healers than fighters. It's far better to throw your life away than save them, apparently."

Richochet snickered and then reached over to tap Kino's head. "Hey, Kino. Wake up, we're discussing your future, take a voice instead of a snore, okay?" Kino looked at her blearily and she gave a soft smirk. "Hello there."

Kino raised his hands to her and she hefted him up to stand in front of the desk Gaara sat behind. Kino looked up at him shyly at him and waved, making the red head give a soft smile back.

Richochet smirked at Neji. She fluttered her fingers down and he leaned forward. She whispered hurriedly. "He's got Gaara wrapped around his finger already. I'm so proud of him."

Neji held his chuckles back, chest heaving slightly, but not the smirk. "I guess he got that from you?" He murmured back just as quickly.

"Who knows?"

The Hyuuga shook his head and looked back to Kino.

"Your mother-"

"Say what?!" Richochet spoke up in surprise.

Deidara burst out laughing.

Kino grinned.

Neji gave a thoughtful look and Richochet nudged him and he shrugged helplessly.

Gaara smirked at her before looking back. "…Make that 'older sister'. Richochet has told me your liking of healing." He paused waiting for the boy to respond in any way.

"Yup!" Kino beamed. "I'm a great healer. Richochet and Naruto taught me and bought me loads of books! ...If you need the books you can have them… Richochet has loads of money."

Richochet sighed. "Why do I pay for you three all the time? You, understandable, Jiraiya's a sleazebag and Naruto pays back whenever he wants too in different things when I need them. Seriously. I think I'm too used to them knowing me nice."

Neji and Deidara stared at her and asked in unison. "…You're being nice?"

"I'm being ripped off by kids is what I'm being." She said huffily, crossing her arms. "Anywho Kino. You're going to be a ninja that heals, right? So, battlefield or hospital?"

"I'll do both. Hospital then battlefield when I'm old enough." Kino and then turned to Deidara. "Can I hurt you?"

"Say what?!"

"That's what I said." Richochet replied bluntly. "He'll heal it straight off again."

Deidara sighed and handed the child a kunai which he wielded expertly. With a quick stab, Deidara's upper arm was out of action and he yelped in pain, gritting his teeth, blood pouring out the wound.

Within moments however, Deidara was blinking in wonder.

"Whoa! You're good, un!"

Richochet smiled to herself, hiding it behind a knee as she raised a knee to the seat. This was a lovely gift for a birthday.

"What is?"

"A new home."

Neji sat on the side of her chair as Gaara conversed with Kino on some tests he could do to become a proper healer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You are the tree I come back to." He kissed her weasel spot and she shivered, leaning into his body by reaction.

She mumbled some unintelligent mumbo-jumbo and gripped the part of his body under his knee. He flexed some muscles around the place she gripped and it led to her smirking up at him. "Show off… And... Didn't I say that to you?"

"Just so you know it goes both ways."

"You're so soppy." Richochet grinned and buried her face in his outer thigh, right hand next to her face, shoulders up to her head as she shrugged them up. Neji put a hand on her shoulder blades looking at her softly.

"Aww!" Deidara blinked multiple times.

Richochet turned to Kino with a scowl of distaste on her face. "Stab him in the throat this time, would you?"

"Nonononono, un!"

"…?" Kino turned to Gaara. "Deidara is kind of like Naruto-dono."

"Why not? Must you irritate me on the anniversary of my birth?"

"…Dono?" Gaara asked, ignoring them.

"Those who found me are given the highest respect by me." Kino smiled happily. "I'm glad they found me. Gaara-sama, you are like them, right? Are you okay with it? Naruto get's scared sometimes by it and Richochet copes better and helps him."

"Oh come on, lighten up, un! It's your birthday, un!"

"I don't think so. I've been called a monster all my life, so really being one isn't anything different to me. I cope far greater than them both I suppose. I take it in, Naruto fears it and Richochet ignores it." Gaara put a hand on his head.

"I think I'd want to be a hanyou over a human." Kino said with a small smile. "The hanyou's I've seen are nicer and stronger in personality than a lot of humans I've seen. Maybe you're strong to help us humans? That's what I think."

"I think I know why they keep you around now. More than any other child."

"It's my birthday so I should get to do what I want!"

Kino eyes twinkled secretly.

"Maybe I stay around them instead of the other way around?"

Gaara cocked his head to the side.

"Oh whatever, un!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

One little girl sighed at her sister, sitting on her knees as she stared at the patch of flowers. The two girls were triplets if the other girl over there wasn't a Henge or Bunshin who wore matching green sundresses and sandals with light coloured eyes and dark wavy hair. "It would be nice if it rained once in a while, Mimako." 

"Mhm. I want to see them bloom sometime in my life, Mimoki." The second replied. "Right Mikoma?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

Kino stopped, making Richochet stop as he grabbed her hand and in turn stopped the other two men who were with them. He watched the two girls poke at a patch of dead weeds outside their home.

She looked down at him, raising a brow. "Mm?"

The boy walked over to the two girls and kneeled between them. He placed his hand down and it glowed green, infecting the land around it in a positive manner. The flowers slowly grew, forming into a huge bush of chrysanthemums in rays of purple and pinks. Kino smiled at his work before jogging back over to his care takers, taking Deidara's hand now.

Richochet looked at the flowers blankly, and looked to Kino as Deidara swung him around and let him fly up and Deidara chucked a clay bird up and caught Kino, letting him fly around.

"Are you thinking he's an Angel?" Neji asked in amusement.

"You're _not_ reading my mind?"

"Not really."

"I can't help but read yours every single second." Richochet replied in hilarity, giving him a laughing look as he gave her one of surprise. She shrugged. "As for Kino? Possibility, right?"

"Not likely." Neji said slowly, unsure but the feeling that he was overwhelmed him and instantly he felt as if the boy was. His head snapped to Richochet, who was frowning at the child thoughtfully. She didn't even realise it did she? Was this what she thought when she found out he could control her? The nervous feeling of putting your life in another's hand and hoping they wouldn't steal it away?

"Have I not done that already?" The Lightning Mistress answered him lightly.

'_Yes._'

"So no problem then." She then snapped her fingers. "I know. You can make me those lemon pops for my birthday present – or even the recipe would be nice…"

Neji rolled his eyes and walked forward to their current abode. "We were given a two bedroom flat. So Deidara will have to stay with Kino in one of them and we have the other."

"If you want." Richochet nodded and backed her face up when she got a face full of blonde. "…What?"

Deidara beamed freakily and Neji pushed his face away from her.

"I made something for you, un!" Deidara said happily.

He held up her hand and put in a small figurine of a bunch of weasels standing still on four legs on a small circular pad. It was about the size of her hand all in all.

"Put some chakra into it and it'll activate one that would represent you forever, un! Whatever you do, it does, un! Anything and everything, un! You too Neji, un! And me and Kino, un."

Richochet sighed and did so and the other three copied, placing a bit of chakra into any random weasel.

Instantly they changed their figures slightly. Kino's became a baby and Richochet became smaller, feminine, the other two also went a little bigger, masculine. Her one's eyes swirled and had a lightning bolted tail, Deidara's had a tuff of fur covering the left eye, Kino's had two small dots above it's eyes, and Neji's also grew a bolted tail but it's eyes held a bunch of lines creating a circle much like when he had the Byakugan on.

They immediately moved away from the unmovable five other figures and, each, about an inch long gathered in a circle facing down. Richochet looked up at Deidara and then gave him a look. "You know how much you could get from this as a business?"

Neji bopped her on the head. "Nice way to say thanks."

"I'm serious!" Richochet replied in irritation. "If we get some random idiots chakra into one of these things, we'd know what they'd be doing at all times."

Neji added to her words. "If you could add some maps or something to show _where_ they are at all times or even how they're feeling…" The Hyuuga shrugged, trailing off.

Deidara's eyes beamed. "I could, couldn't I, un?"

Richochet nodded and then smirked up at him. "I'll keep this original though."

"You shrewish business woman, un." Deidara laughed and clapped her on the shoulders. "The map would probably be on the bottom or next to it, un. And it would have to be any animal but not sharks or something, un. They can't do much without touching the bottom of the pad they're on, un."

"Let's go to the place we live at and eat!" Kino put in with a smile. "I'm hungry."

Richochet shook her head. "I'm not really."

"The rest of us are, right, Neji, un?"

"I'm not especially…" Neji trailed off and looked thoughtfully at the market place. "…When I smell the food however, I may change my mind." He looked at Richochet. "Where to?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"It's _your_ birthday."

"Yeah, yeah… Hmm…" Richochet looked around the place. "How about the first place that smells good? I'll keep the energy for later when I need it and enjoy it when I have it."

There was a silence.

"That's the weirdest sentence I have heard from you, un."

Richochet scoffed and lifted her nose, walking paces away from them, eyes closing when the head ache hit but opening them moments after when Neji walked nearer to her instinctively lightening her pain. She randomly pointed at the direction something smelled the nicest to her at that moment, minus Neji himself.

"That way." She jumped away, the others following. Neji stopped and looked at a place far off before going after them again, a smirk on his features.

A bird flew over, identified as an eagle, carrying a scroll.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Not much to say, except tune in next time and thanks for reading!

Ten words.

_Searching. Seductive. Letter. Showing Off. Teaching. Honourable. I was. Omega._

* * *

**R.**

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	35. Chapter XXXV

**Bonjour! I'm recovering from illness. First my dad got it, then mum and then I held out for two weeks before getting it. Damn. Snivelly noses, tickly throats and sneezes that go at ninety miles per fricken hour. Charming.**

**Love (cause if I hug you may get this illness. Ugh.) to...**

_Moogle In Paradaisu - Frozen Tempest - Hibiki-chan - Depressing Truths - Zero Asakura - Sanya12 - Joster13 - -Asa-Hoshi- - .Psychotic.Enigma. - Emerald Lady - SilverMononoke - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Blood Zephyr_

**

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**Chapter Thirty Five**

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* * *

**

Ricochet stared at the piece of paper in her hands, trying not to throw it into the fireplace that was crackling merrily, wearing only a huge top she had gotten from Neji to use as night clothing. Her clothes were next to her a foot away to the left.

They were in the slightly bigger room that Deidara and Kino's and it had light walls and was covered with demonic weasel fur on the floor. It covered everything including the bed and the bedside cabinet and walk-in wardrobe. She much preferred the house she had at Konoha, but this was what Gaara could do at the moment until she could buy a proper place tomorrow.

Neji watched her quietly, sitting on the large fur she had summoned once more, fiddling with the fur as the electric sparks lightened beneath his travelling fingers. The electric still sent pulses of a massaging feeling up his arm but it now energized him. His other hand held the weasel sculpture and he rubbed a hand backwards and forth along the base.

"I can't believe it."

"I could… slightly." Neji said idly, leaning against the wall and placed the sculpture on the side. "She came the same time as you. In all possibility, is was most likely her to be the Angel we seek to help us."

"MIZU IS A FUCKING ANGEL!!" Richochet snarled at the paper, wanting to hear it loud enough so she'd eventually believe it. "AND SHE'S SEARCHING FOR HER BROTHER KOUDO AND GENKAKU?! ARGGGH!"

"I can hear you perfectly well. So can Orochimaru in Sound Country and he's probably wondering why some random woman's voice is in his head, haunting him." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes in amusement as she glared at him. "Calm down." He said smugly and watched the effects go into her.

Richochet sighed and flopped forward into the fur they used as a huge mattress. "This is not good." She mumbled into the fur, huffing, still out right disbelieving it.

The male shook his head in exasperation. "It's not good because you don't like the girl. If it was anyone else…" He trailed off.

"She killed Gaara!" Richochet snarled into the fur, muffling her voice. "I could put up with her being a snotty brat that always gets her way and is good with everything. But an ANGEL?! Someone's _pushing it_ up there!"

Neji laughed as he crawled to her on four limbs stopping before her. "You're just jealous."

'_No way._' Richochet denied mentally as he turned her onto her back and flopped onto her stomach. "Oof!" Her breath left her body and he chuckled at her. "I'm not jealous!"

"I sense it." He teased.

"No!"

"Don't deny it."

"Nuh-uh!"

"I don't think denial is good for you health, weasella-kun."

"HEY!" Richochet sat up, tumbling Neji to her lap and glaring at him as he smirked up at her. "Ack! Why would I be jealous of that… that… _THING_ anyway?!"

Opal eyes blinked at her and his head cocked to the side, coffee coloured hair falling over his shoulder. "Oh, please, you want to be an angel, don't you?"

"Hell no! Demons are awesome." Richochet stated proudly, nodding to herself with a clenched fist, much to Neji's enjoyment. "Anyway, if I was an angel then I wouldn't have had Rokubi or you or Naruto or… Wow… I got more friends as a demon in training than I did as a normal human."

Neji hummed to her in agreement and picked up the paper she put down.

"You really have to teach me this language. Read it to me."

Richochet took it with her right hand, leaning her left on his stomach, absently running a thumb up and down the hard planes of muscles that he'd built up there for years, taking pleasure in his shifting and fidgeting, knowing how sensitive the stomach was.

"Stop moving." Richochet smirked at the paper, ignoring his half-hearted glare. "Honestly, wriggling like a child…"

"Oi."

* * *

"_Dear Richochet,_

_I know you know exactly whose writing this is but keep reading until the end, please. I must inform you of a few important events in this world that are happening even as we speak._

_One. I have felt you are demon, or rather a half blood, a hanyou. I am sure you will soon learn the abilities of your demon side, and you may have already learnt a few. Have you come into contact with the Higher Beings? They have asked you to do a job, correct? You may be wondering how I know._

_I'm an Angel as you are Demon._

_Simple as that._

_Your job would be, along with Naruto and Gaara, to take care of this world, keep it safe from beings such as the Akatsuki and others. Maybe you've met such a being? It's most likely if you already have come into contact with the Higher Beings of the Universe. They'll contact you when they need you. This is your agreement. Don't become a wild beast when demonic and help them in return. I understand_.

* * *

"What?" Neji interrupted in confusion. "A wild beast?" 

"The original thing was that Naruto and I would be forced to become beasts, like what happened fifteen years ago with Kyuubi-san when she was unlocked from her seal and could do no other but destroy everything." Richochet explained simply, not able to help but answer his question.

"Kyuubi… Is a _she_?"

"Of course, we women _so_ far outrank you men. I bargained and said we'd do something instead and have control so I wouldn't."

"We are not outranked by you. And _how honourable_ of you."

"Are too. Honourable? There's nothing honourable about it." She smirked. "I just wanted the strength. And anyway, the thought of only being able to do what you want sealed inside some other idiot and then let out with no control with better power wasn't my thought of good." Richochet grimaced in disgust.

Neji pointed out, poking her stomach. "That's just like you."

"And it's just like you to say so." Richochet's silver tongue kicked in as she smirked down at him. "You like making comments, don't you?"

"Only as much as you."

"Only as much as me what?"

"Make comments."

"What comments?"

"On anything."

"What about anything?"

"I'm going to hit that spot in a minute." Neji warned her with an annoyed look, sitting up to seem taller. "Don't make me." Richochet gave him the feeling of not wanting to do it, getting him to feel tired and he sighed, lying back on her thighs again, arm over eyes. "Maybe not then. When I'm up to it."

Richochet smirked slightly and raised his arm. "And when will you be…" She leaned forward, sending the feelings of arousal, hovering her lips above his and then brushing slightly, leaning back as he moved to close them together. "…_Up_ for it… _Neji_?"

He groaned. "Don't be a tease…" He clasped their lips together and she pressed back, lifting her legs so he was even closer to her, his warmth more overpowering and scent more heady to her senses. Richochet flushed as his hand travelled up between her breasts and he gripped her neck and kept her mouth locked to his. Feeling his smirk, she let her legs fall down and twisted her body to lean on all fours over him.

Lightning crinkled all around them as her power rose with her emotions. Neji winced but then tensed in surprise. "It doesn't affect me negatively anymore?"

"I am the Lightning Mistress, Rokubi's Heir. Why would it hurt you if I've now truly given you my heart?" Richochet asked, licking up his neck and blowing on the wetness, creating the after feel of cool delightful tingles, not caring for his words as much. She was far too interested in his body right now to do something like that. "Nothing of lightning can hurt you. You have become exactly like me."

Neji moaned shifting his body, warmth from her breath sending shivers down his back. "It's in Hyuuga tradition only to when you marry." He said, voice gasping. "Please stop this."

At that, Richochet completely stopped, head buried in the side of his neck, climbing up to the ear.

"…_What?_" She hissed.

"After marriage." Neji said, less breathless than before. "Only."

She lifted her head, sat up and stared down at him with a deadly look. "I don't think you understand much about demons and sex with their chosen, Neji, because you're really starting to piss me off."

"…I don't understand."

"How the hell do you think mates become _mates_ in the first place?" Richochet sighed in aggravation as Neji suddenly understood her. "Yes. Sex. I think you get it now." Richochet looked away, voice less angered and more solemn. "And every time you say to stop-"

"You can only take it as rejection because of your beast." The Hyuuga finished off for her. He ran a hand over his face, holding his palm over his mouth as he watched her emotion play on her face. Resentment warred with sadness and he sat up, grabbing her body and crushing her to him protectively as he lay back down.

"Neji, I-"

"Hold me back. I'm not rejecting your mating with me."

"You just wanted to do things how you've known them to always be." Richochet held him back just as he told her to. "I've screwed your mind over, let you jump ship with me from one place to another, turned you demon, changed moods so quickly to suit yours that it's confused you and on top of that I keep pushing at you for wanting a little bit of sta- control."

The male hanyou stayed quiet.

"I'm sorry." Richochet said just as quietly, moving away from him and reaching for the letter. "I really have stolen your life. But I've given you mine in return." She then withdrew her scroll and tool out the first scroll, nipping her thumb on a canine and unlocking the scroll. The I-Pod she'd gotten so long ago from Mizu was taken out.

She fiddled with it a bit. "Listen. Skillet. Rebirthing. This reminds me of what I think of you. Listen to the lyrics."

Neji listened to the rather dramatic song.

Richochet looked at the letter as he did so, thinking it so he would subliminely get it.

* * *

_Two, Akatsuki is the threat many upper ninja realise. However, I also have a feeling something else dangerous will arise. I am very unsure of what to do, so I will leave you to it._

_You may not know, but I am with Orochimaru, spying for him as an Akatsuki member. It is likely the Leader, Pein-sama, knows something of this though I have no idea how much he knows of my position._

_You realise I am Orochimaru's slave? He took my wings as I came to this world from our own plane of dimension. Our God, who has been watching you for some time now because of who you carried, sent me to bring you back here safely without any problems. However, Rokubi took care of it before I could, causing you to loose ability over Earth and Genjutsu._

_If I had brought you around at fifteen you would have kept them. However, you would never have been given consideration on the topic of becoming demonic. You would have been made to do this._

_Third, I need your help getting back my wings. You may think nothing of it for I had killed your friend. However, I know when life and death arises as I have a sense to it, being what I am. I sensed both death and revival on him. I just had to act like I didn't care what happened to him. I care what happens to everyone that matter's to you. I do sense something with you also. Has someone apart from Gaara been reborn around you? Are you going to 'reborn' someone?_

_Fourthly, I'm looking for my brothers. One is name Koudo and the other Genkaku, or Gen for short. They have something to do with you in fact, so please look out for them. You may need them soon._

_Lastly, look out for yourself. _

_You are important along with Naruto and Gaara._

_Mizu._

* * *

Richochet frowned and tossed it away as Neji finished the song. 

Neji leaned forward and kissed the living daylights out of her before moving back a minute later after she succumbed dazedly. "My presence will fill you up with oxygen then?"

"You do more to me then give me _oxygen_, birdie-boy." She replied with a chuckle. "And hopefully it's the other way around as well. I wouldn't want it just one way." She blinked. "Did I just say that?"

"You don't realise you say these things when it's just me do you?" Neji stroked her hair and then lifted her onto his lap. "I like this side of you." He murmured into her ear and then whispered other stupid romantic nonsense, making her melt as her eyes closed.

"You make me want love." Richochet said drowsily, finally falling asleep. "I wonder if it's like this…"

The Hyuuga snapped his eyes down to her sleeping face.

"I never thought about love." He admitted to her. "I'd like this with you as well as other things." Neji leaned back, holding her to his body and rolling to the side, spooning around her. "Just don't hurt me."

'_I won't._'

"Richochet?" He asked, digging into her top and taking off the necklace, removing the ring. "I really should say this properly… Marry me."

Her eyes snapped opened. "Yes. I will marry Hyuuga Neji. I'll marry you." The necklace fell back around her neck but her hand was picked up and a ring slipped onto the marriage finger. "Forever and then ever and more." Her heart leapt and blood chorused through her veins and she couldn't help but turn around and aggressively kiss him.

Neji growled in the back of his throat and turned them over so he was on top for once. Licking her lips once he entered her mouth and felt her sigh into his, tongue starting a duel with his own pink muscle to get into his mouth. She let up and he smirked against her lips making her press against him, grinding hungrily against his pelvic bone.

Richochet let her hands travel his bone, rubbing and massaging his stomach with one hand and the other clutching his neck, entwining her fingers in his locks. She felt herself shiver as heat budded at her abdomen and became more passionate in her actions, Neji quickly rising to the occasion as she blasted her emotions in his side of the link. Her hands wondered across his body a little more trickily, only going down.

Neji broke off as he felt her hand come into contact with his hardened groin and stared down at her with apprehension, opening his mouth to start reminding her.

"We may not go all the way, but don't I deserve some fun on the night you ask me to marry you _and_ my birthday?" Richochet said innocently, a wicked gleam in her eye. "I promise not to hurt your trust tonight… though… I may torture you into wondering why."

Neji could only give in to his sinfully tempting Fiancé, entrusting her with his honour, groaning as she worked her immoral charms on him and winning him over.

Completely.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Deidara smirked down at Kino who as frowning in confusion and took the glass cup away from his ear and the wall and also the child's glass in case he heard something he wasn't ready for. 

The blonde looked down at the other blonde who stared up at him, puzzled.

The Kaguya Clan member stared up at him and asked naively. "What are they doing, Deidara-san?"

"When you're older, kid, un. When you're older…" Deidara nodded to himself, hoping not to screw the kid over if Jiraiya hadn't already.

Kino stared as the man walked over to the bed and slumped onto it.

"Adults are so _weird_."

Deidara just laughed.

"I already know what they're doing."

He spluttered and stared at Kino who rolled his eyes.

"I _read_ things. I accidentally read Jiraiya's book." Kino smiled, hiding the truth. Richochet had 'accidentally' left it for him to read, knowing he'd have to learn to one day and it was better sooner than later.

"You poor thing, un!"

Kino sighed in exasperation.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet blearily looked around, immediately scanning her surroundings with her very dependable Kazangan. Everything was fine, everyone but her asleep, everyone safe. No one had entered. Though, now she saw it, she did see the lingering of energy at the wall with Deidara and Kino's signature energy, probably listening in from her shouting. 

Neji was sleeping beside her contently, head in her neck. For a moment she wondered why it always ended up her hugging him to her instead of the other way around, and then decided she liked holding things she cared for close to her.

'_Good to know you care for me._' Neji said lightly in his sleep.

Richochet tapped his nose, kissed his lips leaving a trace of reddish gold chakra. "Sleep still." She whispered and stood up, looking at the man for a second in admiration before looking away coolly and moved some of the fur so it lay over him. Tossing off the clothes she had on and tossing them to the side, she picked up her scroll, slashed, bloodied, and summoned some clothing and towels and bathroom items and a small make up bag.

Walking out the room, she found the bathroom and took a wash in the shower. Fifteen minutes later she was out again, drying herself with a quick zap of electric.

Slipping on the gauze to wrap around her chest, she tugged on some lacy red underwear and a garter in red on the right leg and then grabbed the red, long sleeved Chinese style short dress that came to her upper thighs and a diamond was cut out on the top of her breasts to show the curve. It had a button at the high neck and collarbone and also the sides to under her breasts.

It had a huge black sash with the chalice of the Seishou family on the front of the piece in red, tying up with a bow on the back with the ends that touched her knees. It was made of silk instead of her usual electric fur, seeing as that old man Mokuba didn't like it.

She had black slim leather boots that went up to below her knees and slipped them on easily. She grabbed her Suna hitae-ate and wrapped it around her left thigh. Next was her holster above the hitae-ate and the scroll pouch was tagged around her thigh, on the front above the forehead protector.

It was one of her nicer outfits Naruto had gotten her to make up for some of his debt.

Tch.

Yeah.

_Some_ debt.

Peering into the mirror, Richochet took the make-up bag and slashed some red lip balm to create a shock of red that healed, dazzled and tasted good. Next was the smoky red on the eyes and the eyeliner. It was done so it made her look feline. The inside of the eye had black pulled down and the outside had it up. The eye shadow lifted up deeply at the bottom and faded at the top just under her brows.

Looking down at herself she smirked. "I'm so hot right now. Totally burning." She walked out of the room, leaving the door open and walked into the other room where Deidara stirred slightly, not awaking as he smacked the little boy accidentally who was sleeping next to him and in turn woke Kino up.

Kino looked at her.

"Time to get up?"

"I suppose so. Help me get some food for these oh so tired men?"

Kino grinned. "You have fun last night then?"

"I cannot believe you just asked me that." Then she smirked. "Hell Yeah. Tell no one. You get dressed and I'll brush my teeth and hair." The boy walked to his bag and took out his brush, tossing it to her. She grabbed it and he tossed her some mints mid brush. "Thanks. You seem like an adult sometimes."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Chomping on some mints she watched him dress in a simple child's kimono she guessed was either blue or green since they were his favourite colours.

"The ring looks nice on you." Kino smiled and then they turned to the window, watching a bird come in. They watched it fly to her shoulder and stick it's foot out. She took the scroll, undid it, watched the bird fly off and finally unrolled it.

Kino tugged on some ninja sandals. "What's it say, Richochet-dono?" He asked politely.

"Richochet, meet me in my office in the Kazekage building at noon. I have a job offer that could suit you. Gaara." The hanyou turned to Kino and enquired curiously. "What's the time, kid? You always keep your watch on. I don't even have one."

"It's… Eleven… oh two exactly… Now."

"Gaara could have just told me via the link." She said to herself, thoughtful. "Maybe he wants to look business like."

'Correct. Come see me after you eat. I meant what I wrote.'

'_Sure._'

'I will leave you to it, then.'

"Let's go buy some food for this place." Richochet jumped out of the window, Kino jumping out as well, though she caught him when he was about to do the footing wrong and break his foot. "Keep them straight, little man."

"Okay." He sounded down.

"You'll get it." Richochet shrugged uncaringly. "Maybe I should have let you teach yourself a lesson and broken your foot."

Kino blanched. "M-Maybe not…"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Neji awoke to the smells of pancakes and honey and sighed in delight. 

They smelt nice to his nose.

"Then you flip 'em, right?" He distinctly heard Richochet's voice and smiled, recognising she was learning to cook pancakes. "These smell odd. Are you sure they're edible? They look like big flaps of soggy comics without colour. Why the hell do people eat these?"

He snuffed his laughter in her fur at her belief. Shaking his head and getting up, he looked at his clothes and then decided to change for the sake of his hygiene in the bathroom. Gathering some clothing he received from Gaara – it took a week to transfer his money from Konoha – which were Jounin wear of Suna with the Hyuuga Clan 'skirt' on top of the outfit, he exited the room.

"Neji-sama!" Kino called to him before he entered the bathroom. The Hyuuga looked at the boy who stood in the entrance to the kitchen and nodded for him to continue. "Breakfast will be in ten minutes, Neji-sama."

"You can call me Neji."

"…Neji-sama."

"Stubborn."

"Richochet-dono told me to be."

Neji snorted. "I bet she did. Thanks, Kino-kun."

Kino nodded, bowed civilly and jogged back into the kitchen.

Smiling slightly, Neji went into the bathroom and immediately noticed the make up bag on the side of the sink. '_Since when did you wear make up?_'

'_Jiraiya taught me some things. Make up was one. I'm a Kunoichi of the highest rank right? An Anbu taking Jounin missions, so why not? I need to get in touch with my feminine side too, you know. And you'll _like_ it. Got it?_'

'_Whatever you say._' Neji replied absently, turning on the hot and cold water to get it right.

'_I'll keep your word to that._' She was smirking, he could tell.

He paused and then thought back swiftly. '_Wait a moment-_'

'_Ah-ah-ah._' Richochet answered quickly. '_Nope. Now hurry up. I'm actually making something that's decent._' She pushed him a feeling of hunger, making him huff.

'_Stop that._' It went, but the thought of hunger was still there. '_Tch._'

'_Seriously. Gaara has a job for me._'

The new hanyou took off the clothes he was wearing and jumped in, instantly lathering up some of Richochet's shampoo. '_What is it?_' He scrubbed his hair with deliberation, making sure to get the long locks washed properly.

'_No idea._'

'_Anything on the note?_'

'_Not a thing. But I get the feeling I may not like it._' She answered in a troubled fashion as he washed it out. '_He better not assign me trash duty or something for kicks._'

Neji snickered at the image she gave using conditioner now.

'_Anyway, these pancakes don't taste half bad._' Richochet commented. '_Nothing beats Hinata's food… I haven't seen that girl for a while. Apparently, Deidara said she has succulent curves like mine. Does she?_'

'_Mhm. I prefer yours though. Then again, I've only felt your curves and not hers, so I guess I'm biased._' Neji snickered at her grumbling reply. '_I know, I know. '_I better not have_' right? I haven't. Promise._' He washed the conditioner out, stopped the shower and hopped out, grabbing the moisturising lotion and squirting some out.

'_You're off the hook._' Richochet replied sourly. '_Get dressed and eat. You just became a hanyou; your body will demand extra sustenance than that measly amount you had last night._'

'_You ate less than I did. Half a plate._' Neji retorted, taking his clothes and putting them on carefully.

'_I ate a couple of whole tigers when these two were sleeping on the way._' Richochet shrugged, he could tell. '_I eat when people don't realise it. Don't be surprised at the amount I eat. I eat either a lot for about a month of eating nothing or lots of small things. You wanted me to eat, so I did._'

'_You should have said._' Neji cleaned up his mess and exited the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind him. He walked into the room and stared stunned at Richochet and the change some make up could have on her.

And he wouldn't get started on the clothes she wore.

Richochet could never be stunningly beautiful or innocently pretty or drop-dead gorgeous but…

…She was a ray of sinful red silk covered temptation instead.

Something that suited her badass attitude far greater than beauty, prettiness or gorgeousness.

"Oh Kami-sama…" He said under his breath. "You look… look…"

Richochet smirked at his reaction and twirled around. Deidara wolf whistled, snapping Neji out of it and making him glare at the blonde half-heartedly since the other half of Neji was whistling along right with him.

"She's hot, Neji, un. If only I could have joined you guys, un…" Deidara smirked and looked at the bow on her back. "I would have liked to unwrap her, un…OW! Neji, un!" Deidara whined, rubbing his jaw and getting up from smacking into the wall. "I think you broke my jaw… un! Control that demon power of yours, un!"

"I was." The blunt reply came.

"Well damn, un. That's one hell of a punch, un."

"You're welcome."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"You… whadywhadywa?" Richochet asked jaw dropping in surprise before finding herself again, rubbing her arm that held the new Anbu tattoo of a Greek Symbol for 'Omega' funnily enough. 

Gaara smirked. "Seeing as you're so good with children, and I'm sure that outfit will blow the minds off the other Chuunin guys, you're going to be a teacher."

"Oh Dear Shinigami-sama…" Richochet muttered, putting her hand to her head. "When do I start?"

"Now."

"Huh?!"

"You're a Taijutsu and Ninjutsu user, correct?"

"You say correct a lot. Yes, I am." She spoke up at his look. "Mainly Taijutsu."

"Then you'll be the Taijutsu teacher." Gaara pressed a button and spoke into a speaker. "Please send someone in to take Seishou-san to the Academy immediately."

'_Oh. Hell._'

"What the heck am I supposed to teach? A style, theory? Weapons? Wait! Not weapons, no can do."

"Anything that'll help my future Nin. Oh, one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't kill them, please."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

The Lightning Mistress sat on a chair at the front of the room behind a desk, feet on the desk and leaning on the two back legs of the wooden piece of furniture. The room, being a huge hall also known as a gym with mats around, was empty waiting for children to fill it up. The walls had seats to look down from near the top like the arena at Konohagakure. 

She played with the ring on her finger and then decided to take it off and slip it on her necklace for safekeeping and under her top. Grabbing her gloved from her pouch, she tugged them on, leaving the zip open so she could easily reach her blades.

The bell rang and she stiffened. "Here it comes…" She mumbled, scowling at the door.

She listened to outside for five minutes, kids lining up at the door. A teachers blurred figure was on the other side. "Now young nin in training, we have a new teacher whose purely Taijutsu for you. Even we don't know who they are. Be kind to him or her."

"Her? Can girls fight really good? I don't _think_ so!"

The teacher chuckled, obviously a bit in concurrence. "Maybe, maybe not. Though I slightly agree with you."

"Bastard. Piss me off more and we'll see who comes out alive." She muttered darkly, closing her eyes and crossing her arms, face blank. Another bell rang and the door opened, the Chuunin shuffling in with the children behind him. They all sat on the sidelines and watched her waiting for an introduction.

None was given.

A boy, with a snotty look on him, bright green eyes – they looked similar to Kino but less calm – and jet black hair looked at her and stopped. "It's a girl. Why can't it be a guy? She's probably weak."

"I'm a Taijutsu master. A Lightning Mistress." She smirked. "As to why I'm here? Because I'm the top dog. Because I'll beat the crap out of anyone who dare try to usurp my given position, you little shit." Richochet snarled and stood up, hands slamming on the table top. "LISTEN UP! This is a Taijutsu class only for the strong! You weak? Then get strong or get hurt! Don't think for one minute I'll drag anyone around and pamper them like spoilt brats."

The male who appeared to be twenty five stood up. "Miss! I cannot allow swearing in this-" He was interrupted by dodging a kunai and it sailed through the wall and out of it, too powerful to be imbedded. He gulped but glared at her all the same, blue eyes narrowed in dislike.

"Shut up!" Richochet pointed at him with a sneer. "This is a school for _ninja._ These kids will kill when they're older. If they can't deal with it then get out. It's just words. Who the hell are you anyway?!"

"I'm the Ninjutsu teacher, Machikata Juuko." He remarked proudly, hands to his hips.

"In my opinion… You're an idiot. Sit down and shut up or get out." Richochet then turned to the class of fearful students and smirked. "You can all call me Seishou Richochet. Or Seishou or what the hell ever. I don't care. Just something that'll get my attention without wanting me to mutilate you or something."

"Chet-sensei?" A girl asked curiously, blushing slightly in nervousness. Dressed in shorts and a dress she remembered Sakura used to wear as a style, she had a cute look about her.

"Yeah, that'll do." Richochet shrugged. "Or is that a question?"

"Question!" She perked up. "Can we swear too?"

"…Not in front of your parents."

"I really must insist you not-" The teacher for Ninjutsu spoke up with a frown.

Richochet growled to herself, and glowered at the man. "Didn't I tell you to sit down and shut up or get out? Or are you really mentally troubled? This is my class. I do what I want in it as long as it gets results. Piss off, I don't even remotely care for your presence anymore. And anyway Juuko? More like Joke-o."

He turned red. "How dare you, you little pathetic girl! I should-"

She fazed out and reappeared in front of him, making him tense. "What? Hit me? I'll hit back a hundred times." Walking away she looked around at each kid there. "Well, well, well. Exactly what do you want to learn? A new style?"

A general round of yeah's occurred.

"I can't hear you!"

"YEAH!" They cried loudly.

Richochet smirked and nodded. "Good. That's good. Let's think… Wing Chun would be the best… Or Shaolin Leopard style. Yes, that will do. Alright, we'll be doing Leopard style. First things first. This is an entirely attacking style with speed. However, if you would prefer defensive, I would be willing to do half the lesson doing attacking Shaolin Leopard and then defensive Wing Chun."

"What's your favourite style?" The same girl asked.

"What the hell is your name?"

"I saw you yesterday! I'm Mimoki!"

"…Right." Then she blinked. "The flower girls?"

"Yup! My sisters are in the hospital learning to heal."

Richochet smirked, putting her hand to hip and nodding. "Oh, when you see then ask if they saw Kaguya Kino there and say hi to him for me. My favourite style is Muay Thai." She finished and looked at the others. They shrunk back. Obviously, Mimoki made friends with wild anything. "Everyone… **UP!**"

They shot up in fear and Richochet held back her smirk. "This is gonna be fun."

"Oh, I don't think so girl." Juuko spoke up, stepping up in front of her. "You're weak, stupid, female, and you aren't even half the person I am." He poked her at each word. "I bet you can't even throw a proper punch."

Richochet scowled, but then smirked with an impious gleam in her eye. She trailed a finger up his chest seductively, feeling absolutely sick inside for doing it, but it got him in a weakened position. "Let's have some fun then, hmm?"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Three hours later after several breaks and she was walking around each student, watching carefully at their forms, correcting each with random comments on how her grandma could do better… how her dead pet dog could roll over better then they could - even if she really didn't have one. 

That kinda fun insulting stuff.

"Higher, kid. Higher!" She repeated herself again. The boy nodded shyly and went higher, seemingly afraid to disappoint her and get her anger. She turned around and looked at the other children. They were all doing something wrong. She smacked her hand to her head in annoyance and then decided to do something easier. "**HALT!**"

Everyone stilled in their places, still in their poses. One kid fell over onto his arse after three seconds in one VERY awkward positioning, making her smirk and others giggle.

"Nice one, Rai. Anyway, I figured something out. Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Forty other Bunshin's appeared, one for teaching and the other for correcting. "Listen to them. They are me! Got it? One teaches, one corrects!"

"Hai, Chet-sensei!" The class called back obediently, making her nod.

"Good kids." She said absently, walking to the back and deciding to work on her own skills as a Muay Thai user. She hadn't used the style for a good two months, having concentrated on other things. Going into a bent pose, with her arms up like a boxer. "Kao!" She yelled to herself starting with knee techniques on the left leg.

"Dhrong!" Richochet did a sharp straight knee jab with good force.

It didn't go up, but straight forward.

"Chijang!" Next came a diagonal strike of the knee and then a curving knee strike followed by a flying knee strike. "Kouwng! Loy!" She twisted around and then went for a small knee attack right on after to keep up her role. "Noi! Dode!" She jump with one leg and with that same one leg, she gave a powerful strike upwards.

Somersaulting backwards from the jump, she started with the right knee and completed the Kata she made. Finishing that, she then added electric to the attacks.

"Yo, main me! Would you do that later? They're only watching you!" One of her Bunshin's called out in boredom. "Not like we care or anything, since it is us they're watching really."

Richochet looked down at the awed children and smirked.

She dismissed their looking.

"I haven't even started yet. Want me to give you a preview of the fight I can give? This is the sort of things you could do after mastering the styles to a sufficient level. Everyone! To the sides!"

The Bunshin moved up to her and circled her as the kids rushed up the stairs to get front row seats.

Richochet went into position. "No electric! Just skill! No speed or chakra! Any style but Gentle Fist! Go!"

She immediately ducked and swept her knee into a gut as she stood up again and then dodged quickly as a barrage of shuriken slammed to the last place she was. Eyes narrowing, she ignored the gasps of shock and awe. And took her own kunai out and cleanly sliced an arm right off, dodging the moment a kick would have landed in her face.

She backed up and swiped an elbow into a throat before leaning back and flipping backwards taking out her blades, slicking them in quicker then she ever had in her life. She narrowly avoided a blow to the head via a knee and punched the knee, lobbing off the bottom of a knee, making it poof away.

Three barged up to her with smirks but she smirked back and the swiped her leg in a spinning kick to the face, her opposite hand to the floor, fingers brushing the mat to hit two others and breaking their noses and poofing them away. She shifted her balance forward snuffed another in the throat. Standing back up in the middle of the circle she stared them down, smugness lining her features.

"What? I am you, you know."

They smirked back and grinned wickedly.

Richochet dodged another round of kicks and punches, blocking two upper kicks and swiping out with her own vicious ones and they gave her snarling glares.

"I look that mean? Whoa… I rule."

The momentary lapse got her. She growled as a senbon nicked her ear.

"That's it! You're all poofing out in a minute!" She rushed the Bunshin's and went into focused mode, having been showing off a bit. Ten went within minutes and she hadn't even broken a sweat.

Five more went in a slash of huge blades as she summoned them via her special scroll – which she was starting to more than love - and she blocked the kunai thrown and went to the others in a dash. She swiped vertically side stepped twice to the left jumped a sweeping kick.

A knock at the door gym made everyone look up. Richochet jumped over all the copies of her – being about four fifths of them - and landed in front of the door. She kicked it open with an impatient look, one hand holding both swords.

A bunch of adults in ordinary and some ninja clothing stared back at her with frowns and worried looks as they stared at her and then the swords in her hand.

"You would be…?"

"The parents."

"Parents?" Richochet asked in confusion before realising what they meant. "Oh you mean the mothers and fathers of these children? Wait… what time does school finish?"

"One hour and thirty minutes ago." One amused Jounin asked, raising a black eyebrow in surprise. "Didn't you know? Who are you anyway?"

"I'm the new Taijutsu teacher. I was just told to come here and teach them and I did. Gaara didn't tell me anything else." She replied bluntly, cocking her head to the side and dodging a kunai by stepping forward in boredom. "Who else would I be?" She caught the two other senbon while still holding the swords. She turned around and yelled to her clones who were laughing at her. "WHAT THE HELL?! TIME OUT, IDIOT COPIES!"

They waved at her mockingly.

Richochet grimaced. "Ugh, I am so irritating sometimes."

"What?"

She turned back to the group of adults. She rolled her eyes. "Come in then. I'm showing my skills and what they could achieve if they decide to become Taijutsu masters like me. Oh." Weasella-kun paused their entry, with a hand up.

"Yes?" A man asked politely, one of the only ones looking amused.

"Don't think I'm weak like arsehole over there." The hanyou poked a thumb over to the Ninjutsu teacher who was currently wrapped head to toe in rope, hands behind back and hanging from the ceiling upside down and had been for the past couple hours. "He insulted me a _bit_ too much… And had to pay the piper."

They paled seeing some senbon sticking out of some points to his body.

"Oh my God! Is he alright?" One woman cried in horror.

Richochet snorted. "Oh please, I just targeted the pressure points that would knock him out." She scoffed after the statement. She then spied the faces of the adults and realised she hadn't made much of a first impression. "What? It's not like I do this to children or anything… unless it's a mission of course." She muttered under her breath.

"Our children?"

"Up there. Hang on a sec. KIDS! TIME TO GO!"

"AWWW! You didn't finish the fight Chet-dono-sensei!" One boy cried out passionately. "We wanna watch the finish!"

"This is my type of kid." Richochet nodded in appreciation. "Alright then! Ninja parents please carry spouses, friends and etcetera up to the top as I finish the spar." She grabbed a senbon before it hit the woman behind her instead of dodging the blow. "Now."

The Lightning Mistress sped back into the fray and slashed out, blocking several punches and a couple kicks with various parts of her body and the side of the swords. She hacked one's head off and another's lungs out; grimacing again as she did so thinking somewhat of her sister but her head went back in the game as she dodged down with the splits.

With a twisted move so she moved her splits from vertical to horizontal and rolled back, shoving a pair of boots into a pair of guts and poofing two away, she went back into standing beginning position. Five were left and were disposed off with skilful grapples and tackles all in the name of winning.

Clapping went up and she crossed her swords and bowed. Standing up straight she quickly de-summoned the weapons into her scroll once more and sighed.

They came down and circled her, inquiring her with hundreds of questions.

"When'd you learn all that?"

"From teachers that were barely as good as I am."

"How long does it take?"

"How good do you want to be?"

"Is it really hard?"

"It's not so bad when you get into it, but at first it's tough to get into physical form. Different muscles and stuff."

"What level ninja are you? Surely not Chuunin?!"

"Anbu, actually. I don't care for the conspicuous thing."

"Do you give lessons?"

"School is Monday to Friday, right?"

"Extra lessons, I mean!"

"Uh… I don't know. I'm busy a lot with other projects. This is a side job Kazekage gave me."

"We'd pay if you want for them."

"Well, duh you would. It's not the money thing it's the schedule. Didn't I tell you I was busy? Sheesh. STOP!" Richochet finally said, scowling at them in a sinister way. "If I EVER want to give extra lessons I WILL! I'll put up a damn _notice,_ already! GO! Don't you people have stuff to do instead of interrogating me to the point of rage?!"

There was a silence.

One of the boy stared up at her. "You have anger problems."

"I. KNOW."

"And you're scary!"

"Good for me."

"And you're like a monster."

"I. Don't. Care."

"…But I still think you're cool and hot!"

Richochet stared at him, eyebrow twitching. "…You are so weird, kid."

"Rai."

"Well, _Rai_, I know I'm cool and hot. I do it for my fiancé." Richochet said patronizingly as some of the adults glared at her. "You're name is my favourite element. Be strong as thunder and quick as lightning like me and you'll be a good enough ninja."

Rai nodded, light eyes smiling up at her as he grinned. "See ya tomorrow!"

"Eh?" Richochet raised a brow. "What time is this 'lesson' I give tomorrow? What is tomorrow?"

"It's Thursday today. Tomorrow I don't know what time." Rai shrugged in confusion. "Ask one of the other teachers. Bye!"

"Yeah yeah, bye, you lot." She shooed the group away and waited until they left. "Hmm... Oi! Joke-o!" She walked over to the ninja hanging upside down with the purple face. She created a Kage Bunshin with a single hand move and the copy did as it was created to do, freeing the man and then walking around to collect the stray throwing weapons.

"Huh…?" Juuko woke up groggily and squeaked at the girl smirking down at him. "What do you want? I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He whimpered at her threatening look.

"Humans." She swore under her breath, sneering. "What's the timetable for Taijutsu lessons? What are the Years in this school?"

"Two sections. The Lower Year and the Higher Year." Juuko said miserably. "The Lower Year is the six, seven and eight year olds and the Higher Year is the nine to twelve year olds. We usually have a half day on Friday. There are seven lessons in the whole week but they're long with breaks in between and in the lesson. Two on Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and then one History which they share."

"That's bullshit." Richochet shook her head at him giving a disgusted look. "Two lesson a day? What the hell's wrong with you people? No wonder they were so forward on getting extra lessons. This 'Academy' is a joke. Kind of like you actually…" She thought out loud with a smirk. "Seeing as it's only…" She looked out the window. "Three in the afternoon, I'll pay Kazekage a visit sometime."

Getting up, Richochet walked off.

* * *

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* * *

In fact, Richochet went there a week later on the Sixteenth of May, having been busy the whole time with the children paying her home visits to learn things. For some reason, they came _on their own_ – despite their Kazekage being kidnapped how little time ago? - with some money and food for all for an hour lesson. 

Parents seemed like they were pretty happy with the protection of their land.

Still…

"Gaara, this lesson plan out thing sucks. Who the hell made them? And what idiot let them?" Richochet demanded as she frowned at him disapprovingly.

The red head merely looked at her. "My part is to authorize the Academy, which has been up for only a year, and get teachers. No more. I have then given them reign over the school. Administrators come around to check things."

"Well your administers are crap. And that Juuko guy who does Ninjutsu is also crap." Richochet spoke in irritation, brushing some hair away form her face.

"Nice engagement ring."

"Well it's about fucking time, you know?" Richochet then huffed, unknowing of her pout. "He won't be with me until we marry."

Gaara rolled his eyes and went back to his paper work. "He's not rejecting you, just putting it off."

"Oh come on! I've heard some people stay in engagement mode for years." Richochet slumped into the chair. "It's pissing me off. Now I've had a bit I want more."

"Oh?"

"You don't hear us these days?"

Gaara scoffed in exasperation. "And thank Shinigami-sama I don't. I'm thinking you're a moaner and screamer being a weasel." He added with a chuckle at her small blush.

"Yeah, yeah whatever, but seriously. This academy thing is bullocks. I don't like it."

The red and black hair streaked hanyou growled in his throat. "Then make a new one."

"What, a timetable?"

"What else?"

"…Good idea. You better not be paying these teacher lots just yet because you're getting ripped off, I tell you."

"And oh don't I hear." The Tanuki said dryly. "I'll send a bird to the teachers later with a note talking of a new timetable that starts next week. Make it good and bearable for you all."

"Nice one, Tanuki-chan."

"Shut up. You're starting to sound like Naruto."

"Holy shit, I am?!"

"No."

"You little bastard."

Gaara paused and smirked. "If I had a yen for every time I'd been called that by people I'd be the richest man in the world… Even my dad called me that."

Richochet smirked right back at him. "Really? Well, I've always been called a bitch, and we've both probably killed the people who called us those names, so it's all good."

"Oh go home and give Neji a blowjob."

Richochet gawped at him for a second before saying bluntly. "I cannot believe you just said that."

"Why? I'm sure he'd like it."

"…I'm going home. Think whatever you want."

"I will."

"Flipping perverted, I swear…" Richochet mumbled as she walked out the office. She noted the secretary glare at her. And yes, it was one of Gaara's fan girls. Creepy. Sure she'd probably choose him if there wasn't Neji… But Neji was her man for sure. She jumped out the window and travelled to her temporary flat.

* * *

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* * *

As soon as she entered the abode, the smell of flowers hit her and made her jolt in surprise. She looked at the walls with Ivy and Jonquil and struggled to remember what they meant when Rokubi told her that flowers and their meaning play a vital role. '_Wait. Wedded bliss for Ivy, desire and affection for Jonquil._' 

She walked down the halls, watching the flowers in the corridor change when she went into the living room. Blossoms, primrose, roses and poppies were around the place and judging form the thoughts Neji held in his mind as she turned to him, they were Orange blossoms, orange roses and red poppies. '_Purity; Innocence; Eternal love; Marriage; Fruitfulness; Loveliness; pleasure, I cannot live without you; Enthusiasm; Desire. You have a _screw_ loose on the first two, my submissive._'

The Hyuuga was leaning back in the chair, confident as he watched her stare around with impressed lights dancing in her eyes. He stood up slowly as she finally looked at him, still looking ravishing as she did when he first saw her that morning.

"I really have to thank the old man for knowing styles on clothing." Richochet said thoughtfully, knowing it'd irritate him for her to talk of other males. "It certainly gave you the shock I wanted. And these flowers?"

Neji smirked and put his hand for her to take. She placed her hand there without thought. "Us Hyuuga do courtship properly. This is just a gift… a mere token of my thoughts." He kissed this back of her hand, lingering as he stared up at her half lidded eyes. "My thoughts of you."

"We weasel like relaxing in comfortable good smelling surroundings."

"Don't I know." Neji pulled her to the sofa with a glass table in front of it. He sat down and she joined hit, leaving a little space as she reached for the pen and paper he'd gotten for her, knowing her need for it when she got back home. "Here. Tell me about those damn kids."

"Tch. They were scared of me at first. You should have seen what I did to their Ninjutsu teacher." Richochet smirked, enjoying the memory. "Now that was good. My intimidation skills are top notch. Suna is cool."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "If I was back at Konoha I'd be married to Hinata in a few months. It's a good thing you came along. Hinata is kind and adorable, but not to my tastes. And if you were at Konoha, you'd be bothered by Naruto."

Richochet snorted.

"I've gotten used to it."

Neji smirked. "Better you than me."

"Tch." She elbowed him. "Not even a slice of sympathy in that voice."

"For you? It's because of you I pretty much have to have the boy as a brother-in-law or something."

"You deserve it." She replied bluntly looking at him and then smirked, turning to the lesson plan and remembering the time as a teacher. "Anyway, the lesson was decent. They're learning an attacking and a defensive style."

"Mhm." Neji fiddled with her hair idly, listening to her.

"The _lesson plan_ is just so shit. By the time we've done something, they'd forget it by next week when their next lesson came and we'd be stuck getting absolutely nowhere. These people are dumb as Naruto used to be."

"…Used to be?"

"Well, admittedly he still kinda is… but the demon side took care of that."

"Somewhat."

"Agreed."

"Back to the list." Neji kissed the top of her head at the weasel sweet spot, making her melt into him. He picked her up and put her between his legs, grabbed the paper and pen, and leaned back so they were lying on the sofa lengthways. "Let's start."

"Yeeeeah." She murmured, waking up slightly from his touch to that distinct spot. "These people make Naruto look smart."

_

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_

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* * *

Elsewhere in Konohagakure no Sato in the Raman Stall he couldn't get enough of, Naruto sneezed multiple times, making those around him look at him weirdly. 

"_Am I getting a cold?_"

* * *

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* * *

"So." 

Richochet tapped a pen against her lower lip.

"Monday…"

* * *

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* * *

There we are! Done once again until next time!

I checked this quite a bit so there shouldn't be any mistake. Shouldn't at least.

Ten Words.

_Nineteenth of May. Reply. Uchiha Sasuke. Koudo. Money. Names. Trait_

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**R.**

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	36. Chapter XXXVI

**Yo. How are you all, lovies? I'm in a loving mood. Hugs for all! (Glomps!) Well, extra lovage due to glompage. That much love for you. **

**A big hurrah to ASA HOSHI!! Why? She's my new Beta! Whoop! Everyone thank her for this chapter is better than ever! Thanks Kyo!**

**Cuddles for...**

_Hibiki-chan - Devil-Speaker - BloodZephyr - Zero Asakura - Depressing Truths - Emerald Lady - Sanya12 - Joster13 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - SilverMononoke - -Asa-Hoshi- - Elewyn - Neko Of Light - Kimura Akira(x2 ch.34 & ch35) - Temashika-forever - .Psychotic.Enigma._

**

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**Chapter Thirty Six**

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Naruto frowned in fake confusion. "Tsunade-baa! Where the hell is Richochet?"

The blonde paused in her writing and stamping.

"Well?"

The honey eyed woman looked up with a scowl. "She… joined Suna now since the council doesn't want her here with you. Two Jinchuuriki will surely bring the Akatsuki to our doorstep. They cannot have war over here."

"…_**WHAT?!**_" Naruto growled. So he knew already, what did it matter? It was still a shock to know the person he trusted the most in this world wasn't with him completely anymore. "I don't think you understand what she meant to me AND the demon in me!"

"I don't understand."

"We turned into our demon forms over the three years training. We totally desecrated three prosperous villages and killed everything in three miles of each village. I don't know if you were there when Kyuubi was sealed into me… But you know how big it is right?" Tsunade nodded and he carried on. "We're far bigger now. Twice as big. I don't know if it's because of human and demon mixing, but we just are."

"Carry on…" She breathed out, remembering the events of fifteen, nearly sixteen years back. She couldn't believe those monsters were even bigger now.

"Richochet has more control over hers. It was something to do with exchanging worlds that it happened with her having a better connection to Rokubi no Raijuu. Anyway, when we were fighting as two huge trickster animals, she won and I had to submit and now I look to her for control since she is Alpha Jinchuuriki or something… I need her to stay sane and humanoid, Tsunade-baa!"

"Does she even know this?"

"Something of it." Naruto admitted. "She only knows that she helps control me because she thinks I need some help with it that she never needed, but she doesn't realise I stay _sane_ with her around." He ended, giving out a breath. "I need Hinata. I chose her. She could help me."

"With control?"

"No. Sex."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"I've chosen her for my mate is all. To complete it I have to mate with her. I said sex so you'd know." Naruto grinned foxily, the cheeky little piece a…

Tsunade sighed.

"Yes well. The demon is affecting you why?"

"She. Kyuubi is a she."

"Oh. She then."

"It's because I made a blood tie with another Jinchuuriki very close with their demon. We're demon allies. Jiraiya knew first since he was the one to do this seal thingy with her stomach and we told him on the journey." Naruto nodded, brushing some blonde and red streaked hair from his view, a habit he'd picked up from Richochet.

Tsunade rested her forehead on the desk, desperately wanting a drink.

"Or you should get laid. When was the last time? A few years I expect?" She chucked a chair at him and he merely batted it away without batting an eyelash, making her eyes widen. "That really doesn't work, dattebayo."

She glared at him. "Shut up brat."

"Jeeze… Anyway, I'm going to go get Hinata to marry me. Bye!"

"Wait! You're only sixteen!"

Naruto smiled secretly. "And I've been watching her for a long enough time. I've just told no one."

"I thought you had a crush on…" Tsunade trailed off, suddenly understanding Naruto's screwed up logic. "Jealousy?"

"That was a way to see if she would get the guts to step up to me and say it…" Naruto sighed and shrugged. "Stupid plan in retrospect now I think about it. I've been given cunning and sensitivity by those three so I know now."

"You really are the number one at surprising, you know that?"

The blue eyed hanyou nodded in acknowledgement and smirked. "…I've been told that _way_ too many times. Now, I'm going to marry her, or I'll steal her away like a demon and marry her anyway."

'_Richochet!_'

'_Yeah? I'm busy writing a timetable here._' Was the slow reply.

'_I'm asking Hinata to marry me!_'

'_So we're both engaged then huh?_'

'_Yup, yup! I bet I'll get her into bed before you do to Neji, dattebayo!_'

'_You realise I can read your thoughts because of her, Uzumaki?_'

Naruto chuckled to himself nervously, Tsunade staring at him bizarrely. '_Ehehehe…_'

'_Naruto, you won't be able to get the Hyuuga into bed before they marry. It's a tradition that sucks seeing as we didn't do that in our family or anything and ours is prior to his._' Richochet said bluntly to him, voice dry and then went into her own musings again. '_I'll put that there as a break so the lesson's that way and shorter._'

'_That's so not fair! What about… about… my instincts? Do these Hyuuga know how hard it is?_'

'…_They could only know if they experienced it themselves. It's just one of those irritating things._' Richochet sighed, trying to get back to her work, voice bored. '_You're gonna have to put up with it like me. These Hyuuga just don't know how vital mating regularly is_.'

'_No fair, 'ttebayo._'

'_Don't I know._'

'_Oi. I'm still listening._'

"Naruto. You're creeping me out. Get the hell out of my office." Tsunade commanded with a look of peculiarity on her face. "Go visit a jeweller's and get a ring for her."

"Good idea! I have to go to Richochet and get money though. Got a mission for me?" Naruto asked with a grin, all innocent. "Hmm?"

"Don't you have your own money?" Tsunade asked curiously, picking up some more reports and looking through them, picking the easiest one to read. "You aren't going to get far."

Naruto shook his hands. "She keeps both of our money in her weasels den. Weasels are more honourable than Foxes, unfortunately and the Boss Inari has to have a fee to keep it there while taking whatever he wants. We stole from bandits."

"Dear Kami-sama what have you been up to without good leadership?"

"Making our own leadership of course! Later Tsunade-baa, 'ttebayo! I'll be going after I bitch out the Council!!"

"SAYWHAT?!"

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* * *

Mizu blinked at the letter on the leg of the bird, recognising the English on it. 

"She… replied? For real?" Mizu took the letter hurriedly from the bird, pet it on the head and it cooed before leaving her regretfully. "What did you reply to me, Richochet?"

_

* * *

Mizu._

_You've pissed me off for as long as I could remember._

* * *

Mizu smiled in amusement_. "That's a nice way to start a letter."__

* * *

Still, you're telling me an angel? Fine, what the hell can you do to help us with this growing evil you kept shitting about? Yes, I have had a run in with him. Some impersonator of the Mizukage, Dark Rakuin as a 'Jinchuuriki' that isn't even a demon inside him. He called her Queen Mana and it seemed as if this was an entity that seemed almost… in love with her or something. No, make it obsessed._

_This Dark Rakuin can use bodies, a technique we've come across before but aren't sure if it really is that technique or some gift he has. We figured we'd need a light being to help us defeat a dark being. And seeing as I'm a dark being, I apparently, can't do jack shit to him. You have the responsibility of finding a way to stop him while we do our own research, light being. _

_I can't use my lightning or any element on this earth apparently. As a demon, he cancels me out. I don't know if I cancel one of his powers out seeing as he sent a copy to me and my mate and Fiancé but there's a chance I can. I don't know._

_Yes, you're right on the demon front. As is Naruto and Gaara. If you want to know more, I just dare you to come waltzing into Sunagakure and ask. Go on. _

_And don't worry about me being demon, it doesn't concern you._

_So, I'm a dark being. _

_And what does your Graciousness think of that? Ashamed? Glad? I don't care._

_I hate you, remember that. _

_I'm just using you to make sure I stay alive._

_S.R._

_PS; In hindsight, if you're angel, why did you try to poison me? And I can look for your brothers. I at least know the meaning of wanting them back. Neji convinced me to anyway. Also, Kino, your brother, he is Kaguya clan. I have him with me. I have found an Uchiha boy with Sharingan in one of my villages. Tell that to the Bastard Sasuke, okay?_

* * *

Mizu nodded, frowning as she bit her lip absently. "This must have been foreseen. I wonder what will happen to one of the planes of existence and life? Will Mana and her impersonator take over? What about Akatsuki? You told me nothing on them Richochet and you don't seem to care about Orochimaru. And how are you with Naruto and Gaara?" 

"Did you just say 'Naruto' woman?" She turned around to see Uchiha Sasuke standing there, sword bloodied. "By the way, you're free now. I've killed Orochimaru. That little bitch Kabuto got away-"

She suddenly felt a part of her move away. "And… He's taken my wings…" Mizu fell to the floor, knees smacking against the floor hardly. "I'm so sorry God! I couldn't do your will! I couldn't help you after all! Please forgive me!"

"Why do you need those wings?" The Uchiha asked monotonously. "Who is this 'God'?"

"I need them to go back to God… Um, you call him Kami-sama over here. The Higher Beings need me, as a light being, to help the dark beings on their mission."

"Light? Dark?"

"It's very complicated. I'm an angel, a light being. Naruto, the Kazekage, Gaara and the six tail holder, Richochet have recently become half demons themselves. They've taken all the power of their demons and Akatsuki have been stopped in their plans without their knowing."

"Really."

"Yes. Mostly. They're far more powerful than even _they_ realize."

He cocked his head to the side, staring at her with Sharingan eyes. "What can you do?"

"Heal. Give life to… newly dead bodies as a very long process." She stood up quickly at her last answer. "I must leave before Kabuto blackmails me to get that man back alive. I'm also a good ninja."

Sasuke nodded. "Come with me. Join my team. Team Hebi. I aim to kill Uchiha Itachi."

"…Very well, though my aim is not yours, I will help you." Mizu answered with lips pulled down. "I realise I need to do something very different. In fact I search for my brothers to find them and give them away to a certain someone to keep. However, when I am with you, I will make potions when we stop to give quick healing."

"I have seen you make them before." The Uchiha answered, nodding, watching as she collected some scrolls. "We should go soon. I need to get three others quickly."

"Let me just get a few dead feathers. Even they hold healing in them." Mizu spoke softly and then pointed to her bag. "Please finish putting things I'll need into the bag, while I get them." She rushed out at his absent nod as he walked to her bag.

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"And that's that, right?" Richochet looked back to Neji, completely comfortable in his hold, an ice lolly stick in her mouth. She turned back to the more intelligent time table they made. 

"Yes. It seems fair for both parties." He flipped the ice lolly stick he had in his mouth up and down with his tongue.

She nodded in agreement, smirking slightly. "If someone told me I'd be creating a timetable for teaching my own students, I would have possibly murdered them or something and pin it on someone else."

"…You're crazy." Neji remarked, leaning his head to the left so it touched hers, chin on shoulder. "You seem to like children, Richochet. They like you, oddly enough."

"Naruto and I keep wondering about that…" She tapped the pen against her bottom lip. "These humans are just so… blah, with nothing to live for, I suppose, if they keep staying near me." A small smile tilted her lips sardonically. She let her eyes linger to his. "I think you would be a good teacher."

Neji flicked the stick onto the glass table with a flick of the wrist.

"Oh?"

"You taught _me_ didn't you?"

"And you were very hard to teach." He muttered, kissing up to her ear, enjoying himself. "Very hard."

Richochet moved her head to the side to give him more room for exploring her neck. "That's… because I sassed back, birdie-boy. And you seem to be getting hard yourself."

He grinded into her back, making her take a sharp breath in. Neji whispered, licking the shell of her ear, ready to give back what she gave him from last night. "Am I? I'm not too sure." His hand wondered up the sensitive pane of her stomach to grope a breast.

"Well…" She closed her mind to everything but the sensations for that singular, wonderful moment. "Well… I'm sure I could get you a _little_ more _hard_, my mate." Richochet smirked wickedly at him, spat out the used ice lolly onto the glass table, reaching behind with a hand just to grip him and squeezed, making him hiss and bite her ear in reaction, heating up from the inside, abdomen clenching.

Neji growled temptingly, the other hand, turning her chin to face him. "I'm sure I could do better than that." He slicked his tongue along her lips, taking the strawberry balm off her lips eagerly.

His beast growled, controlling his actions now as he rubbed his hardened groin against her back, the pounding of his blood flowing through his ears. The only thought on his mind was to have her, his beast smashing against his control. Neji trembled, a sweat breaking out over his body as he struggled to hold himself back.

"Neji." She murmured against his lips, having pulled back a bit and went down to the base of his neck. "Your beast won't hurt me if you let him out, but if you want to stick by your traditions and keep your human tendencies, then we stop…"

"I'll have to not tell anyone about my dishonour then." Neji replied, a whimper escaping his mouth as she nipped his shoulder and up to his neck and then bit at his bottom lip, leaving a bruise that healed quickly and disappeared in moments thanks to the fact he was hanyou. "I don't think the beast wants anything else but you."

"I told you. Demons need regular mating to sedate them and see their own in a purely emotional state. We are no different." Richochet was about to twist around to get her way when she growled and stood up; foot tapping a rhythm of irritation as she crossed her arms.

Neji read her mind and then groaned in irritation himself, instantly deflating inside and out.

"Naruto." He gripped. "That's one way for me to lose interest in foreplay." The Hyuuga growled out his next words. "What does he _want_ at an important time like _this_?"

'_Naruto, I'm feeling rather pissed off at you for interrupting._' She said with danger in her words. '_Again_.'

'_I'm only going to be a few minutes with you guys, I need to get some jewels and gold to convert to money!_' He replied with a pout in his voice as he got closer at an amazingly fast rate.

Neji eyes widened as he took in the boys speed. The trip fro Konoha would take three to four days for ninja, maybe two to three if pushing it. But, Naruto was going at least twenty times faster. '_Can we all go that fast?_'

'_Naruto's just fire but we're lightning, we go even quicker. Naruto has more Chakra and Gaara more strength._' Richochet replied succinctly, brushing her clothing from it's hiked up position on her waist to her thighs again.

Neji smirked at her actions. "I prefer it up."

"That's funny… Me too."

Neji gave a laugh, stood up, and tugged her over to him, locking their lips together and quickly sweeping his tongue in her mouth, taking the last bit of balm from her lips as he went in to claim her mouth instead of her body. After duelling for a few passionate moments, hands searching for the thrills of each other he pushed back.

"I'm glad, fiancé of mine."

"You better be, because I'm just that good."

Neji warmed and kissed her weasel sweet spot, making her drop against him, hanging on for dear life as he rubbed the spot after, purrs coming from her body as warm encased her being and she felt as though she were drifting in a warm sea on her back, no troubles at all. Chuckling, Neji picked up and settled her on the chair.

"Eh?" She looked at him drowsily and he had to stop the thoughts of her waking up after a long night of… "Nice thoughts. Let's make it true, yeah? That'd be brilliant."

Scoffing he sat on the soles of his feet and crossed his arm on her knees, leaning his chin on top to stare up at her. "When do you want to get married anyway?"

"Sooner rather than later otherwise I'd burst." She replied dryly. Rolling her eyes, she then smirked down at him, softening the look slightly and shrugged. "How do your traditions go?"

"It's usually a month after the acceptance of the question."

"The Ninth of June?" Richochet grimaced. "That's still nearly a month. Jeeze Neji, couldn't you have asked quicker?" Richochet asked teasingly, sighing in dramatic disbelief. He flicked her leg and gave a small glare. "Alright, alright, it takes a lot of nerve to pop the big question. Wimp. Kidding, kidding! No bop!"

Neji nodded and straightened up into a stand. "I'll get the door." He walked out the room, her eyes on the back of his head the whole time. Getting to the front door, he opened it the same time Naruto was about to knock, arm up in the air.

Naruto grinned and looked at him. "Well, without speaking your lips told me what you were doing. And I see you have no highlights in your hair… I guess that's probably because we were transfigured into hanyou from actual full blooded demons, 'ttebayo." Naruto nodded to himself. "And you're lightning weasel too, right?"

"Yes, Uzumaki." Neji sighed, motioning him in with a movement of not blocking the door with his body. "Come in and get what you need. I guess at the same time you've saved my honour for a little while longer, so I'll let you into our temporary home."

The blonde grinned his foxy grin again and entered. "Does that come with a drink?"

"No." The Hyuuga responded bluntly, eyes narrowing into a glare. "You might have saved my honour but I didn't _want_ to be interrupted. Hurry up and get what you wanted."

Naruto chuckled nervously and quickly walked to Richochet in the living room. He paused at the flowers everywhere. "Your Hyuuga certainly knows his flowers. Did he pick it up from your mind?"

"Who knows?"

"I need some of my money, Chet-chan!" Naruto pouted, putting his hands together in a begging position. "And now, 'ttebayo!"

Richochet nodded as Neji walked in to watch them curiously. "Yeah, I get it already." She smirked at him as he yelped in happiness and did a little spinning dance. "Stop, you embarrassment to demons."

Naruto did a dramatic pose. "Such cruelty thou hast bestowed upon thee!"

"You noob jockey. Look, I'm going already." Richochet bit her thumb.

"Can I come?" Naruto pleaded hands grasping her shoulders and letting the wound heal accidentally. "I know weasels only let immediate family in but…"

Richochet licked her lips tentatively. What he had said was true but… No, he should be okay as a fellow trickster hanyou. "Sure. Neji? Willing to come with me?"

"Hasn't he already?" Naruto added in cheekily, earning himself a black eye. "Oh shit! I'm sorry, already!" He whined in the back of his throat then he brightened up, black eye instantly disappearing, fading into normal peachy tan. "So we all going?" Two nods. "Cool!"

"Grab my arm then, you two." Richochet commanded, biting her thumb again and running it down her tattoo. She slammed her fist to the glass table, creating a huge X and then jumped in with them following quickly, holding onto her arm, as she requested.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

They landed in a huge valley of hills, green grass as healthy as anything. You could only see the valley for miles and there seemed to be nothing else apart from the two huge mountains right next to them. Richochet turned to the huge grey with white tipped mountains and then walked into the right one, obviously a Genjutsu. 

Curious, the other two followed her. It was dark inside but the bolts of lightning surrounding Richochet let them see around. It was dank and slightly humid and the smell of coin and metal was definitely present. Naruto let out a huge, "WOOOOW" and it echoed through the caverns loudly, making her scowl at him.

"Calm down, fox." Her eyes were like lights themselves, glowing like lava, highlighting the red eye shadow under her brows to look like balls of fire giving off smoke. The other two stared in awe for a small moment before she blinked, smirking. "What do you want anyway? Didn't you have any bandits that robbed stores or anything?"

"I want to _buy_ the perfect one!"

Richochet rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Why don't you just go smell out some jewels in the wild caverns in the human plane and get a blacksmith to make one?"

"And then pay him with some of this money?" Naruto finished with his words having a questioning tone to them. He put a hand to his chin. "I like that idea."

"Or instead of that, we have plenty of precious gems." The Lightning weasel shrugged at his frowning look as he bent down to collect some money for pay. "Just a suggestion, blondie. It's not as if you have to do it."

"This… is a lot of money." Neji murmured to himself, staring around in astonishment, hands itching to touch it to see if it were real. He couldn't believe they got this from bandits alone. It was rather frightening. Both the amount of bandits out there scouring for easy picking like infected rats and also the ferocity of these two for being hawks of these rats.

"Not just bandits, birdie-boy." Richochet cut in, swaggering over to him with a pleased smirk and leaning her elbow on his broad shoulder. "We've stolen from many places that deserve to be stolen from. Gato, for one, had left over expenditure to be taken for grabs by a skilled taker or, in other words, a thief. In other words, once again, us."

He slipped an around her waist. "You're so bad."

"I do it for the thrill and the ends." Richochet sighed with fake sadness, slinking her arm up and holding onto his shoulder. "I just can't hold it in."

"Then put it away." Naruto said from the other end of the cavern, ducking a pair of kunai and catching them by the ends, aiming them back. "Didn't I say to put it away?" He asked teasingly.

"Bah. Idiot boy. Go to Hinata and actually date her first."

"But I've been after her longer than you have for Neji!" Naruto pouted at her, his bag filled to the brim with goodies. "I wanna keep her forever and ever! Don't you feel like that Richochet… Neji?"

"Of course." Richochet nodded in agreement. "I should know. This man dreams more than Hinata does anyway." She was poked in the ribs slightly as he scoffed. "The truth hurts, huh."

"Discomforting more like it. But I only dream of you." Neji looked down at her, squeezed her side and stared at the blonde. "Too much emotion sometimes, Uzumaki. You'll enjoy it all though."

"That's good. I think I will date first though." He said idly, brushing out some dust from his orange and black jumpsuit.

Richochet scrunched her nose up in disgust. "You're wearing that Naruto? What happened to the leather?" She asked in dismay.

"Waaay too hot for Suna."

"The leather looked good on you though. I bet Hinata would have liked it."

Naruto grinned crazily, eyes twinkling at the thought.

"I think so too."

"I think you're both mad for thinking she'd even like leather at all." Neji pointed out.

"That's what she said." Naruto pointed at Richochet.

"Then I changed my mind."

"So we'll prove you wrong and change _your_ mind." The two replied in the same instance much to his surprise.

"Whatever."

The only female of the group scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, my mountain has even more money and jewels in it since I started before Naruto by about six whole months. I also have many scrolls, furniture and books there."

"Why do you need so much?"

"Greed? Just because? It's shiny? Take your pick. I got more."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "That's true. We just like to _hoard_ things."

Richochet rolled her eyes and proceeded to drag him out the mountain cavern with Naruto walking behind happily, glad to have some of his stash in his hands. "You know, with this much, I could buy a nice house with good furniture and the ring and anything her heart desires." Naruto said cheerfully.

"That's good." Richochet stated as they got outside and then whistled loudly, followed by two sharp barks. "Trickster demons like giving presents and receiving them. And Hinata's the selfless type so she won't ask for anything."

A number of weasel surrounded them in a hurry in all shapes and sizes, eyeing the new two with suspicion and interest.

"'Ere, who would tha' be?"

The three turned around to see two large weasels staring down at them.

"Kama, this is quite obviously Our Lady's closest companions. Her Submissive with the long hair and the hanyou Kitsune, Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto." Tama said calmly, bowing to the three and the other weasels copied.

"Yes, you're right." Richochet nodded back with a smirk and stepped back, pushing the other two forward. "Neji, Naruto, meet Kama and Tama, the High Summoning, Boss and his Dominant, his mate."

"A pleasure to meet you both." Neji bowed back to them.

"Likewise." Naruto agreed with him, also bowing. "We came to get some money, but it's awesome to meet you all too. Richochet must like you guys a lot if she'd let you see us. You must have done a good job!"

Tama chuckled. "The Kitsune charm is very alert in you, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Oh really? I have charm?"

"Yes, indeed."

Naruto turned to Richochet. "Ha! Beat that, weasel!"

Richochet twitched and punched him again, making him roll back until he went into his cave again. "Done." The reply was said simply, fist being shaken out afterwards. "Silly fox shouldn't underestimate weasels. Especially lightning fast ones."

"VICIOUS NINJA TAAAAAG!" Naruto ran out and she jumped away, dodging the fist that slammed where she once was and watching the earth quake and rip apart before moulding itself back together. "Damnit I missed." He swore to himself. Then he eyed Neji and smirked. "Wanna play?"

"NARU-SHIT!" Neji ducked the ball of fire Naruto shot out at him. "UZUMA**KIII**!! First you try to hit my fiancé, and then you go after me?!!" He rolled back a sleeve and then the other one threateningly. "Time to feel pain."

Naruto's eyes widened in fear.

"EEEK! RICHOCHET! NEJI CAN'T PLAY RIGHT!"

Tama smiled with a chuckle. "And there's the overprotective trait in Weasels."

Kama grinned at her. "Isn't it great? It's usually in the Submissive too." He nudged her with his nose.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Say hi to Gaara when I'm there, and give him this." Richochet held out the timetable and the blonde hanyou took it from her. "When you get back you find Hinata and get a date from her. She'll probably faint or something, but take it as a compliment. You've gotten handsome. Not as much as Neji, you'll never reach that and nor could anyone in my mind, but still very nice looking." 

Naruto gave her a blanched look. "Not as…" He trailed off with a pout. "Thanks." He answered sarcastically.

"I don't approve of lying. Half truths are absolutely fine though."

"That's so you."

Richochet raised a brow. "Neji says that a lot too…"

"Where is he?"

"He went out to get himself some food." She shrugged, leaning against the door frame. "Kino should be coming back now. He did yesterday. Dei's out on a week long mission."

Naruto grinned. "Must be awesome living with people you like."

"Living? Half of them are never here at the same time as myself."

"Still awesome."

"It's good enough." Richochet said flippantly, but Naruto saw right through her.

"Oh, you love it really."

"Tch." She merely looked away with a small smile. "You all should come over. Demons need to stick together, you know. Anyway, I've got a class tomorrow. Leave it out foxy."

"Aw, alright."

"I'm going to travel around again soon since sticking to one place isn't my thing."

"And what about settling down with children?" The hanyou teased his friend.

"Do you know how long we live?" Richochet complained in return. "Get!"

"Naruto-dono!"

They looked at the child running at them and grinned.

"KINO, 'TTEBAYO!"

Naruto grabbed the child optimistically and span him around. "How ya been Kino?! How's my fav kid in the whole world?!"

"I've been well! I'm in the hospital becoming a doctor!" Kino beamed at him, tears in his eyes as he looked at him with such trust and affection. Her stomach flipped, remembering that look that he gave to her when she returned to him. Was this what having children was like? It was so touching and it made her mind spin seeing what it was supposed to be like.

This was what she had been missing out on?

Shit…

"That's great Kino! You're the best kid I know at this business! You reach the top, got it?"

"I will! Promise! And are you okay? Richochet said you were down a while ago."

Naruto gave a half smile at that and settled the boy on his hip. "That's true. I'm okay now though." Naruto grinned more. "No worries!"

"We always worry about you..." Richochet muttered.

"Aww, that's nice of-"

"…Seeing as we know you'll end up in jail one of these days."

"You suck."

"I think she hears and says that a lot." Kino added in thoughtfully.

Richochet snickered, fully agreeing to that. Then a thought came to her. "I've received a letter from Mizu. Basically told me she's an angel a light being. Someone _we've_ needed to stop a dark being such as demons or the impersonator of Rakuin."

Naruto nodded seriously, face understanding. "I heard the news from Gaara before I came here." He said gravely. "It's gotten… scary, to be honest. These things are weird. It's like the Higher Beings are toying with us."

"Most likely."

"You're so calm."

"I'm psychopathic. Things such as fear and anxiety are useless to me. I'm too calm and cold-blooded for that."

"Creepy."

"That's me." She smirked and then frowned. "Sincerely, I think we should be watching out for everything. I'm going to be keeping an eye on all the people around me. I'll look after Neji, Kino and Deidara more. Look after your Hinata, okay?"

Naruto, nodding, handed over the child to her and the boy snuggled into her happily. "Like I said; no worries. I know everything is on the move, Akatsuki, that impersonator and not to mention us going crazy with our beasts. We've got a lot on our plates."

"We have big stomachs." Richochet smirked and Kino giggled.

"And big hearts."

"And strengths."

"What are we worrying for?" Naruto asked humorously.

"Big enemies?" Kino's response easy came to them and he laughed again as they sighed. "Big sorry for you both!"

"Big deal." Naruto said nearly incomprehensibly.

"Let's stop now." The girl rolled her eyes, moved back into the house and waved him away. "Good day to you. Be a stranger." She closed the door with a smirk at his strangling motions.

Kino yawned as they made their way to the kitchen. "I was so busy today. I'm in a higher class than anyone else my age so they expect more from me."

"Reasonable logic to a group. Unreasonable logic for a child your age with smaller chakra reserves." Richochet scowled. "Want me to talk to them for you?"

"Uh, no. You'd scare them off."

"Damn right I would." She replied, feeling justified and stuck him on the counter as he yawned again. She raised a brow at that and opened the fridge looking inside. "We have some left over sushi and dango. And I'm sure we have instant ramen in the closet."

"Ramen sounds good now." Kino answered with a smile as she closed the fridge and opened the closet that was up and next to it. She took it out and stared at it. "Hot water, stir, after three minutes, eat. No wonder Naruto loves these. They're simple to make. Good enough for his small brain. Heh."

Kino grabbed the kettle and stuck it under the tap, pouring water in. When it filled up, he put it back and pressed the button to turn it on and heat it up.

"What'd you do?"

Kino smiled, eyes lighting up. "We learn even more about the body, about each cell in different parts and stuff like osmosis and diffusion. Then we learn about different things affecting them and how if you've affected them you would simply add something to heal it, chakra or otherwise. It's so great! And since you left behind the scroll for me with the books I can read up if you're at the Academy."

Richochet nodded, humming in acceptance.

"So then I can just use them whenever I get something to check up." Kino carried on as the kettle whistled. Taking it off, she poured the hot water into the beef flavoured pot of ramen, stirring until it filled. "It's good because they have more people who really know what they're doing and can show you up front instead of just reading a book. What about the Academy?"

"Well, I teach them how to fight as the Taijutsu Master there. I'm called Chet-sensei." Richochet winked at him. "Crazy kids. And one even calls me Chet-dono-sensei."

Kino grinned. "That's because you are 'dono' material. It's just something about you that's really powerful and not because of your demon."

"Not… my demon, huh…"

"Mhm."

"Kino, it's a nice name we gave you." Richochet smiled slightly and then turned her Kazangan on and looked into his eyes, pushing chakra in them to further the hypnotizing motion. "What is your real one?"

"…I was named Koudo of the Earth by someone. They looked after me but hand to let me go for a better purpose. I am Koudo of the Earth. I was created out of nothing but earth and energy eight years ago. I am Koudo of the Earth."

Richochet's teeth bared at the name and blinked, face carefully blank as she handed him the ramen pot and chopsticks, putting the slight smile back on her features. He snapped out of it and happily took the pot.

"Thank you, Chet-dono!"

"Why do you keep calling me with the suffix 'dono' anyway?"

He opened his mouth and then closed it, giving her a look she couldn't quite describe. "We need each other. Without me or my brother, you wouldn't be able to exist, probably."

"That doesn't answer my question but… Not able to exist?"

"All beings need the elements in them. I'm especially needed instead of the other brother. Brother Genjutsu isn't needed as much, but your sight mainly and all around senses are impaired because of him not being around."

"Bloody hell… You knew the whole time."

Another gulp of ramen was taken.

"I only know if you ask. A computer doesn't know the answer before you put the question into a search engine, does it? Genjutsu has also kind of taken some of your emotions away. Fear and remorse, mainly. Which for a woman, is rather odd since they are more emotional than men in a purely scientific way. This is why women are more Genjutsu type then men." Kino said simply taking some of the sauce and swigging it down the hatchet. "You don't have your complete motions, making you unstable. Though you seem to enjoy it…"

"True enough." Richochet frowned at Kino. "How-?"

"I know this because I am a Higher Beings creation."

"Kino, what do you know of…" Richochet decided on something safer. "Mizu. Who is she to you?"

"We call each other brother and sister." Kino took a gulp of ramen. "We just are like that. Like you're meant to be without actually being them. Kind of like you and Naruto's relationship."

"I thought she was an _angel_."

"That's the being humans call her?" Kino asked softly. "We call her the Japanese word for it. One of the Enzeru-dono's that is around in your plane." He took another gulp. "I'm a Higher Being's creation. This is for you only. I am Earth, Koudo, since you have no Earth at all. Then there is Genkaku. Genjutsu."

"You knew I put you under the temporary hypnotizing eyes." She stated as he finished his food and wiped away the mess on his mouth with a tea towel, registering Neji's presence in the house.

"Yes. I am part of you." Kino smiled holding her cheeks as Neji entered the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe to watch.

"You're starting to creep me out. I knew you were far too smart for some little eight year old boy." Richochet scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him thoughtfully. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You _always_ knew." Kino said for her shaking her head, making her grimace. "That's why I stayed with you. I was made for you. Yes, I am still someone's child. I am still born. But I was made with the knowledge in me before I was born that I am part of you."

Richochet sighed, head falling. "Kid… What am I suppose to do with you?"

"I'll tell you when we see Enzeru-dono."

She stiffened. "Oh great, that traitorous little bitch. It seem that it always come back to her. My being killed in my world to this world for trying to get away from her. Jiraiya training each of us and her soundly beating two Jinchuuriki with more training. And now she's the fucking light being to help us. I am so going to kill her, even if it's the last thing I do."

"Now, now, don't be like that." Neji paused their conversation, moving into the kitchen to her and jiggled the top half of a tiger in front of her, skinned and cooked with all the inside out and no head. "Hungry?"

"A little." She replied to his question. "Medium rare?"

"Definitely." Neji nodded and then frowned at the piece of meat. "Though I used to like it well done."

"You've got a demon tongue and taste buds. Blood tastes nicer to us and it's more sacred as well." Richochet said, tearing a strip of the leg off, eating it with the other half sticking out as she chewed. "…You cook better than I do."

Neji shrugged. "I make sure to do everything I do extremely well."

"Ugh. Perfectionist." Richochet ate the rest and took another piece, offering it to Neji, who opened his mouth. She popped it in and spoke up. "And I'm thankful for that. Otherwise I would have been a crap ninja with crap foundations."

"Unlikely." He said, doubtful. "You're far too hard-headed for that."

Kino smiled as he watched and looked over to the dove that landed in front of him through the open window. The other two quietened and watched as he took it from the birds' leg and unfurled it.

"_To Kino. You've done a good job so far. Continue to help yourself and us. Make sure they create. It's imperative. We'll be doing everything in our power to help this along. Keep the bird as a gift. It's from the Higher Beings…_" Kino said to their unasked question. "I assume they like me talking to you about these things."

The dove called out a chirping song and fluttered to his shoulder.

Richochet blinked and thought over the letter and paled. "Oh shit." She laughed nervously as the other two looked at her in confusion. "Never mind that. I said nothing!"

She turned around and Kino laughed as she walked out.

"The only thing that Richochet-dono picked up, Neji-sama, was the creating bit. The Higher Beings want you to procreate." Kino said as Neji perked up at the words.

"Really?" Neji smirked as he heard the girl walking up the stairs. "So the Higher Beings want us to have children?"

"For the world of course." Kino stated, petting the bird calmly. "Children of two hanyou's will create more hanyou's, but not all will be lightning typed ones. It is just as likely they could be Fire type."

"How do you know this?" Neji asked him, gaining a curious look.

Kino stared at him with a blank look. "I am her Demonic Knowledge and Earth Jutsu. Genkaku is her Genjutsu and Feelings. She's supposed to have us both already in her but she was killed before Mizu, Enzeru-dono, could bring her over safely. By Rokubi. If she was brought over by Mizu, she would have become a light being."

Neji started snickering.

Kino giggled with him.

"My Richochet? A Light Being?"

"_**I heard that!**_"

The two laughed loudly as her growl echoed in the house irritably.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet huffed as she took her clothes off in aggravation and threw them to the side. Her scroll went with them after she summoned her night clothing of a thin yukata that went to her knees and was a silvery white that with her eyes she could see glow slightly. 

"Males. Flipping males."

Grabbing a pillow she flopped on the fur next to the fireplace. "Goukkakyu no jutsu." She burst a ball of fire into the wood someone replaced there and smiled at the instant blast of warmth, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"Up!" Richochet jumped at the voice, eyes snapping open as she instinctively went to attack. Grabbing the intruder, she hurled him down to the floor, let her claws grow and stuck them at his neck. Her lava eyes met silvery shocked ones and she realised it was a her instead of a him and that this was a Hyuuga. 

"H…Hanabi?!"

The girl looked up as her claws shrunk and looked at the doorway. "Cousin Neji! Help! She's gonna kill me!!"

Richochet looked up herself. "What the hell is she doing in our house?!"

Neji smiled at her before smirking at the girl under her. "Why don't you let her tell you? Let her up."

Richochet scowled down at the girl before standing up. "Alright." She said, agreeing, and leaned against the wall next to her Hyuuga male. "So, dear Hanabi-chan, why are you here?" Richochet asked sarcastically.

"Not just myself." The girl corrected and Richochet did a quick check with her Kazangan and groaned. "Yup, four Hyuuga branch members, Hinata, myself and… the blonde one."

"Where will you be going next?" Richochet asked. "Visiting Mizukage?"

"Yes." Hanabi smirked up at the woman. "But we're here to do something for you and Neji."

"Oh God… What?"

"HINATA-NEE-CHAN!" Hanabi called commandingly in the room. "Neji! Out! Go change! Get one of the Hyuuga to help you with yours! Now, Richochet, it's your turn, correct? So you'll need..."

Richochet tuned her out as Hinata walked in the room, huge bundles of fabric in her hands, and Neji moved out the way to let her in. The Hyuuga heir had definitely grown in a very beautiful way. Not only that, but her presence was one of quiet confidence that she'd felt around Neji at one point.

"You've really changed, Hinata. That's brilliant."

Hinata blushed and smiled bashfully. "In a good way?"

"Yes. Now, can you tell me why you are all here?" Richochet questioned, arms crossing over her chest for warmth. "This business of everyone over is… rather exasperating, actually."

Hinata smiled softly. "This is for your marriage to Neji-nii. You both moved the date closer, did you not?"

Richochet blinked in surprise.

"Yes, we did, didn't we Richochet? To today?"

"Yeah…? We did. I can't believe I forgot…" Richochet said lightly, eyes narrowing at Neji. "How could I forget?" She replied, lying easily. '_You fucking bastard! How could you not tell me?_' The Lightning Mistress yelped in her mind at him. '_Come on! Were getting married _today?!'

'_Yes, we are. In Kazekage's office. Isn't that great?_'

'_Well, I don't know about weddings, do I?_'

'_Oh, be happy. You're marrying _me,_ aren't you?_' Neji hid his smirk as he exited the room

'_You cocky son of a gun._'

"Now." Hanabi clapped her hands together. "Hinata is the best with her hands with cooking and creating garments... And what the hell is this _fur_ doing on the ground?"

"Don't like it then shift yourself out the room." Richochet snarled at her, offended. "I happen to adore it."

"It's a bit stained…" Hanabi countered and moved away.

Richochet burst out laughing in smug knowing as Hinata went red as she saw the mark.

"O-O-Oh G-God." Hinata started laughing herself.

Hanabi just blinked in confusion.

"Ah, let's jut get it done!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

It ended up that Richochet wore a long white wedding dress. Something she loathed, though the nice red garter underneath was great to her. It was always one of her favourite accessories to spruce up a short dress. 

The dress was satin and felt like water running over her and was so soothing. It had a corset for the top and opal gems imbedded in the front of the Seishou Chalice, just below her breasts about three inches high. There was also sheer material that was designed with a high top that covered her choker of fur and long sleeves that flowed down to the floor, swirls of deep red decorating them. The skirt had a point cut out on her upper right thigh and kept the front of her leg bare while covering her right, showing off the garter, and was in ruffles on the edging of it. It had a second dress underneath of deep red with the same cut out on her thigh, but an inch lower on her leg, also with ruffles.

Her make up was redone with a dark red. All the works was used, including a charming fruity perfume on the main points; wrist, behind the ear and the hair. Her hair wasn't spiky and badass, but it was now silky smooth and flowing inwards giving her a more sophisticated womanly look.

Richochet smirked at herself.

"I look… Just… Whoa… I look mature. Hinata! You are my miracle worker."

Hinata smiled and handed her some heels. A matching red satin with laces that done up once around her ankles were carefully put on and she stood up, wobbling a bit.

"Not used to these things. Impractical in all but one way."

Hanabi raised a brow in enquiry. "Oh?"

"Ever kicked someone with heels on?"

"I must try that." Hanabi muttered to herself as Hinata giggled. "Anyway. It's ten to one. Us two have time to shimmy on some threads." She pointed to two simple dresses of very nice looking material that looked like sundresses with some hats that had some iris's, ivy and freesia's in them, symbolising innocence, trust, wedded love, hope and valour.

"Here." Hinata opened one of the bags she brought in. A bouquet of red roses, wisteria winding around the thorn-less stalks and a few magenta zinnia was in tune with each other and given to her, wrapped in a red silk ribbon with a huge bow. Another velvet box was brought in by Naruto as he walked in wearing a formal kimono.

"It's in dark green."

Hinata blushed bright red as Naruto laid a kiss on her cheek and handed the box to Richochet but didn't give it to her, instead opening it up and showing her the inside. A small tiara was placed there with opals inlaid into the silver item and a train of material would fall over her face. It was simplistic and beautiful.

Naruto took it and chucked the box to the side. He stuck it neatly on her head, covering her face. "I'll be taking you in and giving you away. It's very quick. Rings exchanged, ribbons tying you together, vows spoken, certificate signed and done. You are free to screw each others brains out."

He got a whack on the head for that by Richochet.

"Shut up."

"Are you taking his name?" Naruto continued, nursing his bump. "Seeing as you are the only Seishou here thus being the Head of Clan and Neji was a branch member he could take yours."

'_Neji? Are we taking the Seishou name or Hyuuga name?_'

'_I have no right to the Hyuuga name anymore._' Neji said wistfully, but she felt the change of his emotion as he spoke once again. '_I would be honoured to have yours._'

"Seishou Neji. Sounds…" Richochet trailed off. "…Unusual."

"I like it!" Naruto spoke up cheerfully. "Makes him sound a bit nicer."

"True." Hinata said suddenly. "And it will make him happy to be free from the ties of the clan."

"Seishou… Neji…" A light dawned in his eyes. "Oh my god!" Naruto burst out laughing. "Energy Screw! His name will be Energy Screw!"

Richochet laughed along with him at the name Neji would get. "That's brilliant. I'm never going to forget that!"

Naruto grinned secretly.

'_Your name means endless right… but it also means 'bed'… Endless Bed Energy!_'

Richochet blinked as that realisation of the truth of his words hit her.

'_Holy shit… What kind of family do I have?!_'

'_A fun one?_' Naruto said innocently.

THWACK!

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"I do." Richochet said strongly as Gaara smiled at her and turned to Neji, who was in a black tuxedo instead of a traditional kimono with a blood red silk waistcoat and tie, asking the same question. She bent down to write her name in English first and then in Japanese, striking chakra into it at the same time. 

"I do."

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife." Gaara closed the book with a smack and smirked. "Seishou Neji. You may kiss the bride."

Neji lifted her veil and tipped it over her head, a platinum ring adorning the ring finger on his left hand with the garnet inscription of _Je rêve de vous. Je besoin vous. Je vous veux. On the outside with her name on the inside_. '_I adore you, Richochet. Stay with me forever._' He leaned towards her brushing their lips, hands twisting behind the back of her neck and the small of her back.

"Forever and more, Neji. Endlessly." She pressed back, dropping the bow of flowers, arms wrapping around his neck. '_I cannot be without you._' He pressed back scorching her to the core and she trembled, feeling drips of water on her cheeks. Her eyes snapped open to see the Byakugan user crying and realised her own eyes were dripping tears.

They became aware of a round of applause and parted, Neji's lips carrying a tint of red from her lipstick.

"YEAH! CONGRATS TO THE NEWLY WEDS!" Naruto cheered.

"Congratulations." Gaara said, walking around the desk and clapping each on the shoulder. "And thank you. This is my first marriage giving… thing I've done. The Nineteenth of May will be remembered for me."

Neji smirked, holding his brides hand. "And I thought you were the eloquent one."

"Oh hush up, Seishou." Gaara smirked, making the once Hyuuga scoff. "I'm still your Commanding Officer. Now don't think I didn't hear what that message said. Get busy." Making the two redden.

"Jesus… we're only seventeen."

"…?" Gaara cocked his head to the side. "Most couples get married younger than you, Richochet. Especially ninja ones. And having children usually comes from the honeymoon."

Richochet winced at that somewhat. "The words of Rakuin are starting to haunt me or something."

Neji blinked in confusion before understanding.

Gaara was just left confused.

Naruto jogged up to them and grabbed the two in a one armed hug. "I'm so happy for you guys! And don't think I didn't see the tears from either of you." He teased. "It was so sweet. You both happy now?"

"Yeah." They chorused, smiling for once instead of smirking. Naruto quickly took out the camera and snapped a couple pictures. "Naruto!"

He laughed and jumped away.

Deidara entered through a window, dressed in an Anbu uniform with a bird mask, and looked around in puzzlement. He settled his eyes on the bodies of the Seishou couple and gawped in shock, ripping his mask off. A photo snap went. "I come back from a mission, un…. AND YOU'RE MARRIED, UN? What about my invite, un?!" Another photo snap

"Blame him." Richochet shrugged, poking a free thumb at Neji. One more snap. He squeezed her hand. "It's the truth. And that snapping is pissing me off! Naruto!!"

"Ah, go home and get screwed!"

"Well then I WIN OUR BET!"

Naruto gawped. "CRAP!"

"HA! IN YOUR FACE!"

"NO!"

* * *

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* * *

After the wedding was the party in a small hall where everyone got to drink. Some of the children from her classes came to congratulate her with cards and even baby things. 

"Neji, they're seriously telling us something, I think." Richochet had stated to him at one time a glass of wine in hand, not a liker of wine but still sipping the bubbly down. "I think they're telling us to have children."

He had only chuckled and kissed her soundly on the mouth, telling her to drink up.

"And don't worry. That will sort itself out."

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Let it be known the hanyou's should not drink wine. 

Richochet puked into the toilet.

"I'm not drinking wine again." She moaned into the toilet bowl, Neji holding her hair back. "Never. And you won't either."

"That can be arranged." He responded dryly, a frown on his face. "You've never drunk wine?"

"I used to as a child all the time and anyway, I like cider more. This never happened. Must be a demon thing."

"Very well, no more drinking wine for either of us."

"Damn."

"Tch. Stupid."

* * *

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* * *

After that they went back to their house back in Konohagakure in the small group consisting of the two couples, married and to be married, Neji and Richochet, and Naruto and Hinata. 

And what happened when they got home?

We'll let you figure that out.

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I guess you people wanted 'more'. Will a seperate UNCUT make you guys happy? I could make one I suppose, all the fun moments in one other place. Some people don't want it here. And you can't blame me if you read THAT as well, can ya?

So, did you guys like? Surprised? Shocked? Love? Hate, God forbid it?

Ten Words.

_Presence. Perfectionist. Purring. Goals. Brushes. More. Hair. Operation Breathe. Suigetsu_

See ya soon!

* * *

**R.**

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	37. Chapter XXXVII

**Before I get killed by overzealous lemon-fanatics - it's on it's way, damnit! **

**---Oh, and if you'd like to see anything in them, leave a note in a review and I'll jot it down somewhere. :).**

**Thanks to my beta - Kyo!**

**Loves and Hugs to...**

_Moogle In Paradaisu - Blood Zephyr - Zero Asakura - Depressing Truths - Kiros Razer - Little Evil Witch - Sanya12 - Hibiki-chan - Joster13 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Emerald Lady - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Kimura Akira - Kana090 - SpiritDragon-08 - Elewyn._

_Thanks Guys!_

**_I've also been put into two C2's! - 'Love of Anime' and 'OC Stories That Are Really Good'. Mucho love to ya!_**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

**

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**

For once, Neji woke up first, making him chuckle as he heard her purrs vibrating through her chest contently and then realised he too was purring in his chest.

He sat up, naked as the day he was born and stared down at the naked back of his wife.

_Wife_.

He couldn't believe he'd actually gotten himself a wife. And one that wasn't a Hyuuga.

He was _married_.

A grin settled on his lips as he fell back to the furred floor, hands behind his head leisurely as his head turned towards the only woman he would fully desire and want over all others in his life.

Well, in that way anyway.

A daughter would be nice.

He shook his head. Why was he thinking about children now? He had _years,_ no, _decades_ to think about it. _Centuries_ even, if Richohet's longevity was true. Not that he doubted her, just the Higher Beings. He shifted to his side languorously, trailing a finger up her curving spine slowly, knowing her body far better than he did before, and she instinctively straightened in her deep sleep.

Smiling, he leaned over to kiss her whiskered cheek, then the rings on her fingers and stood up to get himself some clothes from her scroll. Then he blinked.

"Where did I throw it again?" Neji asked himself, fingering the ring on his left hand with his left thumb absently. He laughed to himself quietly. "I was much too busy getting her clothes off to remember, wasn't I?"

Looking around, he walked across the upstairs bedroom and then down the open hidden square door and 'ah-ed' as he found the scroll holder down the corridor. Snatching it from the ground where he remembered chucking it a few days back he took out the scroll, bloodied it and thought of his and her clothes. They appeared on his arm and he carried all back up the stairs and into the landing, where she was still sleeping, but not purring.

The past few days, going on a week, in bed just eating fruit alone was starting to grate on him. The nightly activities, and daily, were brilliantly _beyond_ mind-blowing, but he thought it best to let everyone know she hadn't kidnapped him. They would think it her seeing as she had the demon 'in' her.

Neji gritted his teeth at that thought as he sat down and began dressing in the outfit she had gotten him from her demon fur, apart from the top and put on a simple male fishnet top that went to his elbows. Hinata had warned him that word had gotten out they knew she was Jinchuuriki and people were disgusted at another demon violating their grounds by her mere presence.

He didn't like it one bit.

_They_ disgusted _him._

He slipped on the trousers and the 'skirt' over it harshly, anger reaching into his actions. He tugged on the boots firmly, a glare on his face as he stared out the window at the awakening town.

Slim but powerful arms travelled up his naked back as he moaned lowly at the feel and slipped around his neck, a thoroughly kissed mouth kissing the junction of his shoulder and neck lovingly.

Richochet murmured into his ear. "Neji. You are troubled over something you cannot prevent. Humans are silly creatures easily swayed by the crowd. _That's_ why you should be the one swaying the crowd in the first place, whispering in their ears whatever lies you want to weave." He could hear the smirk in her voice.

Neji scoffed, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her against him, stroking his hair. "Sounds wise. Not much of a humanist, are you?"

"You bet it is. I'm just that good to come up with something like that. Surely you _know_ that by now?" Her voice was teasing as she leaned into her new husband, breathing him in, tasting his neck with her tongue.

He could hear the smug smile in her voice and tilted back into her.

"You must be wondering, how did I get an amazing woman like this for a bride? What karma! I'm just so luc-KY!" She yelped as he twisted around and shoved her to the ground, kissing her soundly and groaned into her hot mouth as she tweaked one of his nipples through the netted top. Firmly. He ground himself against her, tongue battling with hers ferociously. They broke a minute later, panting, but happy. "Man, I must be one hell of a wife."

"Yeah." He collapsed onto her and she scoffed.

"And you are one hell of a husband, you know? Oi, are you tired?"

"You kept waking me up, you ravenous thing."

She snickered, hand digging into his hair possessively and satisfied. "I heard no complaints."

Neji scoffed himself, nuzzling into her neck and taking in her scent. "Why on Earth would I complain?"

"You're a perfectionist."

"And your techniques are perfect. As were mine."

"You bet they were. I particularly liked that second position."

"Is that why we went back to it a lot?" Neji bit her shoulder making her hiss in pleasure. He licked the blood away, delighting in her taste. "Demons like you like it rough, huh? Still, I enjoyed the position of control you gave me." He growled into her ear.

Richochet kissed the weasel sweet spot, rubbing it after and he melted into purrs at her touch, eyes half lidded in pleasure as he sighed contentedly. "I'm getting addicted to your purring."

He only mumbled incoherently.

Richochet rolled her eyes with a smile. Shoving him off her, making him moan in distress at the loss of her hand, she sat up. "You know. You're right. We really do have to get up." She crawled over to the clothes he brought out at random and eyed them speculatively.

It was an all black ensemble. There were black short shorts, black bandages, small black top that just covered to the bottom of her breasts and to her elbows, tight, and a fish net top with black boots up to her knees. She needed some colour and something other than the fish net or she'd look like that freak Anko.

Then again, they were very similar…

She went to her scroll and summoned dark red leather boots – a gift from Naruto, who else? - and a sleeveless dark red suede jacket that went down to her knees. Grabbing her clothes, not bothering with underwear – they'd get in the way when she'd come back home for more – she slid them on as Neji waited for her. Taking her scroll holder, she snapped it on her upper thigh.

"I was only in Konoha for three months and a bit, training for nearly all of it. So I only spent some days actually going around this place." Richochet stated, looking for her Suna hitae-ate. "Take me where you used to go."

"I can do that." Neji nodded, giving some thought as to where to take her. "We should get something to eat before that. Not fruit."

"Agreed." She said dryly making him smirk. "I've had enough for this body for a month or so. I might love it, but even I get sick of it sometimes if it's coming in constantly. Lemon pops however… Especially yours will never be non-scrumptious to me. Definitely if it keeps coming in just for me."

"Nice to hear." Neji smirked wider and grabbed her hand, leaning over her and staring down at his wife with soft eyes. "Do you know what the day is?"

Richochet paused for couple moments in thought as he let her go downstairs first, still holding her hand. "No. I was far more interested in you to really care, but someone else will know, I'm sure."

He chuckled, silvery eyes turning with his face to grab the door and close the way to their room, locking it with a thought and spurt of chakra from his hand to the pad. She guided him down and away to their bathroom, nodding to a few weasels that passed her in the house. "How these little beings get in astounds me." He remarked airily.

"Well, I trust them not to do anything against their Lady and her Lord." Richochet nodded to a mink and then paused, following it with her eyes as it scuttled away. "Minks are part of the weasel family, right?"

"As are Otters, Ferrets and Skunks. Maybe badgers…" Neji said thoughtfully as they entered the bathroom. She opened a cabinet with a mirror on above the sink and took out some toothbrushes and toothpaste. He noted at least twenty toothbrushes and raised a brow. "That's a lot of toothbrushes for one person."

"My acid leaks out sometimes." She replied in irritation, frowning. "My teeth are very sensitive to mint in toothpaste form. It's for that purpose only. Do you have poison too?"

"Check for me." He opened his mouth wide for her, tipping his head back.

Richochet pressed her finger into his canine and zapped some chakra into it to start the process. Nothing came out but it gave his mouth a massage.

"No. Maybe something else? Lightning is my first ability, but poison is second for me. Naruto's is fire first and second is his dab hands at illusions but all Kitsune seem to be good at them. Gaara is a sand demon, but he's also got excellent control over his bit of demonic wind power. We have backups. What's yours?"

"I'm not sure, but something is telling me earth and growing things."

"Neji the Gardener." She said muffled, toothbrush lathering up the paste with a touch of water. "How cute. Growing his tomatoes like an old man… or how about pretty and blooming flowers? OW!"

BOP!

"Shut up. I remember that from long ago."

"Tch." She finished up washing her teeth and grabbed the purple brush with a black hair band on the end, running it through her hair and getting the knots out easily. She tapped a permanently red golden chakra induced nail against her cheek as she eyed his hair. "You'd look so good with your hair up slightly, you know."

"Go ahead." He mumbled, brushing his teeth.

That was all the verification she needed. She brushed out the hair from the bottom first, and then the middle, working her way to the top, making sure to catch him as she brushed the weasel sweet spot softly. Moving him over to the toilet, she sat on the seat, pushed him down between her legs as he gave no resistance, brushing contentedly as he let her do whatever she wanted to his hair.

Grabbing the end of the brush and taking the band off, she pulled his hair into one hand, letting some of his shorter hair at the front frame his face and pushed his head forward so his chin touched his collarbone. She tugged his hair into the band firmly and twisted it through his hair a couple times to create a simple ponytail that fit a man; low on the head, but not enough to be thought of as an Uchiha Itachi copy, but not high enough to be thought of as a girl.

"The shower was engaging." Neji spoke up, eyeing the piece of water works. "We'll have to go in it again." He said, sounding as if he were talking about a rollercoaster ride.

Richochet smirked. "I, without doubt, absolutely agree. We washed there, had fun, washed again, went upstairs and then just plonked out of it. Fun." She licked her lips, remembering her hands travelling around, tongue tasting. She was so glad to be a demon sometimes. "Hey, could you always keep your hair long? I couldn't see anything else suiting you."

"If you keep yours short, yes. I don't want competition now." Neji teased, standing up and dragging her with him as he went out the room, brush left behind on the seat. "I'm feeling for something… meaty. Some beef."

"Are you sure? I mean, I got a lot last night-" Richochet was cut off, but she ducked when she saw the two Suna hitae-ate on the ground and grabbed them, giving his to him. She wrapped it under her scroll holster.

Neji interrupted with a smirk as they left the house. "You got more than meat, mate."

"A glass of milk too." Richochet asked innocently and was merely hugged tightly to a male body from behind. "Warm milk."

He snickered and kissed her neck as they walked to the town. "All for you."

Richochet smirked back at him, kissing his broken curse mark. "And only for you." Breaking out of his hold, she jumped up to a nearby building, hand to hip. "So, you coming or what? I'm eager to go to that barbeque place or something. Loads of meat there, right?"

Neji nodded, jumping up to meet her.

"I'll pay seeing as I have the money." Richochet looked at her scroll. "Don't start on this gentleman crap. Unless of course, you'll go kill some bandits yourself?" Richochet smiled at him innocently and then a thought came to her. '_You could also be My Lord Toko. Actually…_' Her eyes lit up. '_That would be perfect._'

The Byakugan user cocked his head, smiling slightly. '_If you want me too. It is your Empire._'

'_My Lord._' Richochet bowed formally. '_An honour to receive you. I hope you can do your job well._'

Neji rolled his eyes at her odd formality. "Up." He grabbed her chin and left hand softly, kissing his wife gently. "You know I would do anything asked from you. And if it is for the lands, why wouldn't I?"

"So, is it okay?" Richochet asked seriously. "It's a lot of pressure and responsibility. Gaara had asked me on this before with the link. I thought about it once. I wasn't sure if you would like to and I wouldn't do so without your permission. Anyone else I would have just pushed them into it and bullied them around if I thought them good and worthy enough."

Neji blanched but nodded. "You are too much sometimes..." He said in disbelief but smirked. "I'm proud of you."

"Well, duh. Of course you are." Richochet said as if he said something as obvious as 'it was day' right now. "I mean. Me! Hello?" Richochet dodged the bop with a cheeky grin. "Okay! I'll stop the obnoxiousness… momentarily."

"Come on." He replied, grabbing her around the shoulders and walking her to the shop. "What first? I fancy some chicken myself."

"Beef."

"Then pork."

"Pork? Sounds good. Then something else, too."

"Lamb?" He asked naively, faking innocence.

"Ew. No. I hate lamb." Richochet grimaced. "I puked last time. Valentines Day with _lamb_, my right butt cheek. Why did you have to stuff it into my gob anyway?"

"I thought it was funny."

Richochet snorted as they jumped down the building and used their sense of smell to guide them to the food market. "We have conflicting interests then."

"We're hungry. Now we've consistent interests."

"…Well, I'm starving. Your gymnastics wore me out."

Neji smirked proudly. "We're going to buy the place out, aren't we?"

"Hell yes."

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"Sir, Madam! Please come anytime you desire!" The manager, Akogi, said pleasantly, internally calculating the price he could get with these two permanent customers. He bowed, moustache wobbling as he rose again. "Your patronage will be always welcomed." 

Neji snorted. "It'll be hard since we live in Sunagakure no Sato."

The short stout man fleetingly lost his edge before beaming once more. "Ah, I see. Still if you ever come in, even if we have reservations you will be first in line."

Richochet smirked and leaned back. "I shall tell my Lord Toko that."

Akogi paled and then asked, hesitantly. "You… You are the Lightning Mistress?"

"What of it?" She asked simply, taking one of the skewers and digging some meat trapped between her teeth out as if it were a toothpick. "What's it to you?" She eyed him with distaste.

"No-Nothing madam! We fully support him!"

"Oh?" Neji asked interestingly. "And why would that be?"

"He has built and paid for villages! Giving homes to those who have none as well as train the children to protect them and kill off the surrounding bandits. I have heard you have done so many times in the past few years, My Lady. You are someone to look up to. And you sir?"

Neji just laughed.

Richochet smirked wider. "We'll be leaving, now." Richochet summoned her money owed from the scroll and placed it on the table. "I want a tab too. We may not come here a lot, but we will eat a lot each time if we do."

"Indeed." The Manager stated, eyeing the money.

Neji spoke up, arms crossed over his chest, giving off an aura of power. "According to the bill, the cost would be two thousand six hundred and fifty five ryou. We've given you six thousand. We know how much is on that tab." Neji warned, stepping forward with a caveat glare.

"Y-Yes, Hyuuga-san."

"Seishou-san. I am now called Seishou Neji."

Richochet snickered, remembering what his name meant and hers as well.

Seriously, they were _made_ for each other. Fated, Neji would say if he were still of that mind thinking.

"…May I ask why you have chosen a different name, Seishou-san?"

Neji shrugged, grabbing Richochet's left hand and kissing below her rings, giving his wife a warm look and then looking coolly at the manager. "I _am_ married to my Lightning Mistress, you know."

The manager fainted.

"Am I that scary?" Richochet asked lightly, smirking up at Neji.

"Mostly."

"I'm doing my job then."

Neji laughed lowly, guiding her out with a protective arm around her shoulder and left fingers entwined with hers as a couple of waiters walked up to deal with the money and the manager. "Not to me, you aren't. You can't scare your mate from anything."

"So I'm not doing my job then." Richochet sighed in fake disappointment, leaning into him and his warmth, an arm slid around his waist, glaring at anyone who looked before smirking up at Neji, caringly. "My bad."

Neji shook his head about to open his mouth to speak up when the two snapped their heads to the left as Naruto's signature rushed to them hazardously.

"RICHOCHET! NEJI!" Naruto shouted as he came to them. "We need to go pronto, dattebayo!" He landed in front of them with a worried expression decorating his face. Then he blinked and stared at each of them. "Whoa… Your demon chakra literally covers each other… and you have the mark on your tums as well." Naruto grinned and only laughed as they winked at him.

"Hunny…" Richochet sighed, looking at him as if he were a child. "…Tut tut. What else would we have been doing in our house? So what's the crazy news, fox?"

Naruto got his bearings back as he went serious. "Akatsuki have been spotted! Asuma-sensei of Team Ten has been killed by Kakuzu and Hidan! Come with us!"

Three others landed beside Naruto. One of them was Sakura, who smiled and nodded to each of them and they waved joined hands back idly. Her eyes widened at the rings on their fingers and pointed at them in shock.

Naruto snickered as the two Seishou smirked.

Taking the necklace from under her top, she undid it and placed the rings on it before closing it and tugging it back on under her top. "Who the hell are those two?" Richochet raised a brow as she looked at the teacher and the other boy who looked kind of pixie like. "Naruto? Are you picking up strays?"

"Oh! That's Tenzou, our temporary sensei. Kakashi's gone on."

"Dead?"

"No, just on the battle field." Naruto replied dryly.

Richochet smirked. "Dead on the battle field?"

"Are you crazy?!" Naruto growled, hands to hips at her smirk. "We'll tell more on the way!" He jumped away and the other four followed instantly. The blonde looked at the dark haired boy. "Tell them who you are!"

"I am Sai." The boy spoke up, raising a brow on his almost blank face. "Who are you?"

"Seishou Neji. Nice to meet you." Neji gave a short nod.

Richochet wasn't as nice. "Seishou Richochet. Not nice to meet you. You remind me of the sick fucks I once knew as a kid who was brainwashed to do whatever their master said to." She insulted him, sneering. "Stay the hell away from me."

Sai just blinked. "That's not nice."

"I don't care. I don't want to be nice to you. I don't even want to remotely _work_ with you, drone-boy."

Naruto sighed as Richochet went up front, Kazangan eyes switched on. "Richochet doesn't like many people and is stubborn. As she instantly hates you, she probably won't change her mind. Too bad. You're alright, 'ttebayo."

'_Richochet?_'

'_I'm not going to like everyone, Neji. And he instantly irritates me. I don't care if he's part of Naruto's team._' Richochet said aggressively. '_And he really does remind me of them back then. They had to have that fake smile on their faces..._'

'_I'll keep an eye on him._' Neji responded gently, trying not to actively seem disagreeing of the boy as they all jumped trees at a quick rate because of his trusted Mate.

For team work the three hanyou stayed with the other three, though it may have been better to split up.

'_Maybe. Who knows? You'd be best for leader seeing as you do lots of Jounin missions. We'd follow your lead willingly, Toko-sama._'

'_Anything for you, My Lord. I give you my absolute devotion and loyalty._'

"What else happened, Uzumaki?" Neji questioned, going back to the topic at hand. "I assume Team Ten is out there. Who is leading them?"

"Kakashi-sensei! He's better but he still has his right hand wrapped in bandage from the hospital. It's healed enough though." Naruto stated and Sakura nodded in agreement, her professional part concurrent with the blondes' words. The Seishou wondered why he had his hand bandage but figured all they needed to know was he was half out of commission and that was that. "What do your lines tell you of those two, Richochet?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You know how people are good with an element? Kakuzu holds all five. They also say something about hearts. The only thing I care about is that the bastard's stealing some of my bounties. Hidan… Huh. An Immortal, sacrificing himself all the time. Silver haired looker and you can't miss him."

"Seal?" Naruto asked quickly.

"I think it best." She replied wryly. "Jiraiya would have wanted me to seal the sword of Kisame's with it though, but he can just be pushed into making me more."

"Threatened more like it." Naruto laughed as she winked back at him over her shoulder. "Then again, if it's for the good of Konoha!"

"Richochet is the one who went with you, Naruto?" Sai asked monotonously.

"We both learned different things at the same time as normal things." Naruto said obligingly. "I decided to go into Genjutsu and Richochet into Seals. It was a no-brainer as to why, eh, Neji?"

"Hmph." Neji didn't bother answering that as he turned to Richochet who winked back at him slyly. "And I am eternally thankful."

The captain spoke up. "Does that mean Miss Seishou-"

"Mrs. Seishou!" Naruto interrupted gleefully, snickering. "Ehehehehehe."

Richochet wobbled on her branch, missing a step. "I can be called a Mrs…" She said to herself faintly, still disbelieving she was married.

"Shut up, Uzumaki. Yes, my wife did break my Curse Mark."

"What other marks have you broken?" Tenzou asked Richochet directly. "It would be helpful to know."

Richochet looked back at the man, wondering why he asked briefly. "I guess I could break any mark…" She trailed off, unsure. "It just depends on what it holds and how it could affect myself, the environment, the sealed item itself and many other variables."

"Spectacular. And What about the Curse Mark of Orochimaru?"

Her eyes narrowed. "That is my own business."

'_Have you?_' Neji enquired as they got closer to their mark.

'_I've made progress, but without the mark in front of me I can do nothing to it. I was around Hyuuga for months. I even had time to study it while you slept._'

Neji felt a smug tug at his lip. '_Oh, really?_'

'_Scientific purposes only…_'

'_I feel doubtful._'

Richochet was obstinate. '_Go ahead and feel it, mate._'

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* * *

The six jumped down in front of the other three, ready for battle. 

Ino sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Sakura, Sai-san, Naruto, Neji and Richochet. I thought you three were in Suna with Hinata-san and Hanabi-san?"

"Was. Past Tense. Get it?" Richochet smirked at her, making her steam. '_Blondes are so easy to infuriate._'

'_Oi!_'

'_See what I mean?_'

'_ACK!_'

Chouji sighed in relief himself. "Richochet, Sakura. You both have some Medical Ninjutsu, please help Kakashi."

Sakura immediately went to her teacher to check him over.

"I've never seen you so beat up, sempai." The other older man regarded him amusedly. "He must be exceedingly powerful."

"He's Akatsuki, what do you expect?" Richochet rolled her eyes at the stupidity of these people. "Dear, Shinigami-sama. Give me smarter members. Ones that don't state the obvious."

"Where's Shikamaru?" Naruto asked seriously, ignoring the opponent at hand for now, knowing he wouldn't attack without seeing what they could do. Any good Shinobi would do that. "He's not here at all? He's with Hidan then? On his own? He's smart and has good family techniques but…"

"Naruto's right." Kakashi stated performing the Kuchiyose no jutsu. Pakkun was summoned. "Two of you go back him up. One long range fighter and one medical ninja."

Tenzou turned to the pink haired female and the artist. "Sakura and Sai! Follow Pakkun and back up Shikamaru!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Roger."

"Richochet… We haven't fought together for a while now. A month or two maybe?" Naruto asked, grinning back at her wickedly, a dark look in his eye and she responded by grinning back, manic making him chuckle. "How about… Operation Breathe?"

Richochet eyes the being over there and Kakuzu looked back at her with a glare of disgust.

"You two… Are you two the Jinchuuriki we need?"

"We could be." Naruto shrugged.

"But it doesn't really matter to scum like you." Richochet stated offhandedly, checking her nails that grew into claws, poison forming in purple drops. "You'll be dead soon enough. And then I can get my bounties back."

"You're that bitch, aren't you?! The one stealing my heads?"

Richochet shrugged one shoulder, finally looking up to him in boredom. "I feel it as the other way around. Lord Toko needs funds like Akatsuki. And what, pray tell, does Akatsuki need money for?"

"What else? To get bases… all over… for our goals. I like you kid, you understand the need for money. Unlike that dumb fuck I work with. If you weren't Jinchuuriki, I would've taken you as an underling for myself, maybe becoming an Akatsuki member."

"Pity that... Though, I probably would have agreed for the hell of it."

"That's not nice, Richochet." Naruto tutt-ed, smirking. "Here I was, thinking you liked us." He started creating copies of himself without using his hands. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu." Over sixty moved around and attacked him, but Naruto kept five of his back as Richochet fed Neji the information of what they were doing.

'_We need the basic of two people to do this so we usually go for Kage Bunshin. We circle the enemy, trap him in a barrier Naruto remembered from the sound four and recreated, making sure to go underneath with a Kage Bunshin also, and then do a specific jutsu that works only in tandem with it._'

Neji nodded slightly, very surreptitiously. '_How do I help?_'

'_There's only three hands to this. Tiger, horse, snake._' Richochet replied quickly. '_It's like using Byakugan… No, when Naruto creates the barrier with a fire hit and I do the wind technique and power it up by the elements, you make sure he stays inside by using the Gentle Fist. That would be best for us._'

'_That's a brilliant idea!_' Naruto answered their conversation. '_There's no way he can beat three half demons, dattebayo!_'

Naruto's Bunshin went underground and other surrounded the male, who was lashing out with fire and wind attacks form two horrific masks on his back, quickly decimating the numbers of the serious looking Naruto's. Each of them had red eyes with slits in them like Kyuubi's had.

"Three hearts to go if the two broken masks are anything to go by." Neji murmured and Richochet nodded, eyeing the place as she too unleashed a barrage of copies. "I should copy."

"We'll need only a few of you along with me." Richochet turned to him quickly before looking back. "You aren't used to how taxing this damn thing is."

Rushing forward, Naruto found all in position, creating three of the same barrier for extra protection in case the unpredictable male created more of them. "Shishienjin no jutsu! Shishienjin no jutsu! Shishienjin no jutsu!" His chakra zapped quickly but he could still easily keep them up.

Jumping in with copies before Naruto could put the other two up, the Lightning Mistress started her own created jutsu. "Fuuton: Sanso Gaijo!" Richochet yelled loudly. Instantly, her hair started blowing around as air and oxygen was literally sucked from the inside of the barrier.

The copies of Neji pushed energy outwards using his Hakke Kusho technique. Kakuzu was struck again and again as the copies of Neji kept him moving painfully towards the next Kage Bunshin so he wouldn't think on what attack to use next against the powerful defensive and offensive attack they held.

Slowly asphyxiating, Richochet put her latest attack in, a Bunshin sucking energy from the real one on the outside hidden in a tree. "Doku Kumo Kazou no jutsu." Her Bunshin's claws and teeth lengthened even more dangerously and seeps of poison drained from her body and flung itself into the barrier, forming a cloud of dangerous and highly potent poison.

The energy to carry the poison as a blob of energy while using a wind attack was draining on her; her reserves were starting to quickly deplete. She summoned up the energy from her food earlier and prompted Neji to do the same, her beast roaring in her mind at his in their own bestial tongue.

The Operation was a very quick one, but draining when using technique of different element types at once and being so linked like those three were.

Sweat beaded on Naruto's brow. "Hurry it up, Lightning Girl! These barriers are pissing me o-off!!"

Knowing Naruto wasn't good at concentrating chakra without immediate effect – like his Rasengan - Richochet narrowed her eyes and concentrated a ton more chakra into the area. Her Kazangan eyes watched the patch Kakuzu was in darken immensely with reddish gold chakra and turned them off. Kakuzu fell to the ground, choking to death as saliva welled out of the holes in his body, bubbling up and out.

"It's taking longer because he has three fucking hearts and he uses each in tandem! Shut the hell up! It's only been seven minutes!" Richochet snarled back, her own eyes reddening in fury as the man wouldn't die. "Die already! You're not going anywhere but to the afterlife!" She finally slammed the poison fully into his system.

His eyes popped out and rolled from his head, blood spurting as everything dissipated before their own eyes, the poison taking affect within moments as bones become brittle, sizzling everything into nothing.

Richochet smirked, sweating herself. "That was the first time I used that poison attack." She said idly, dropping the attack. "Then again, _that _Akatsuki member deserves it for taking my bounties. Pity I couldn't save his head. I'm sure he was worth a pretty penny."

Her Bunshin poof-ed out along with Neji and Naruto's as they sat on the ground.

Naruto sighed. "Would have been nice to use my new attack… Rasengan Shuriken would have been so awesome to use. Then I'm going to come up with Rasengan Kunai!"

"Let's see it then, foxy." Richochet said smugly, smacking her knees and getting up. Her eyes watched the boy curiously, a smirk on her face without a thought. "Sounds good."

"Oh, it is." Naruto promised with his words. Three Bunshin poof-ed into reality, glad to be of use and to show off. "Go!" They shuffled their hands around and Richochet watched intently, her own hands clenching and unclenching anxiously. A shining blue Rasengan formed, but the points, identical to a shuriken were also formed.

Racing up to a tree, Naruto shouted out loudly. "HAA!" He slammed the Rasengan Shuriken into a nearby tree, slashing it into microscopic pieces and letting it loose as he jumped back next to Richochet to watch the show of pieces flying down.

Neji stood up and easily performed a large Kaiten then spun away any pieces aiming to hit his companions. "Ingenious." Neji complimented and Naruto beamed. "What about using Asuma-sensei's blade technique together with your Rasengan? It would give the shape of its blade. The actual throwing of it could be tricky."

Naruto nodded, listening completely. "Uh-huh. And I could use it when I have an enemy trapped too. To throw it though? That'll be fiddly to work out. Any ideas on that front, Chet?"

"Hmm… Give me some time. With both Rasengan techniques you need to keep it in your hand the whole time. The kunai is thrown and you could simply use an actual blade with good technique instead of a Rasengan, as that Rasengan Kunai would be harder to learn. Can it be done? Possibly, but you are water Naruto, not wind. Why not try it with wind, or even fire before going in with different shapes?"

Naruto nodded. "I could do so much with this."

"Even use medical Ninjutsu. That'll be a laugh." Richochet snickered at the thought of a crazy Rasengan slamming into a body to heal. "You'd end up switching the heart with a bladder. Your heart would be bleeding piss! Ahaha! Nice!" She smirked in hilarity at the cruel thought.

Naruto glared at her. "That is _so_ not funny. My poor Rasengan…" He wobbled his bottom lip dramatically.

"Aren't you guys tired?!" Ino yelled at them, looking frazzled in her disbelief. "You just lost a huge amount of chakra each!"

Kakashi looked up tiredly himself, wondering the same thing. And the Kyuubi brat just unleashed a jutsu even the fourth couldn't complete. '_He's gotten strong. And it's not because of us really is it? No, it's those kids. It's their hidden talents only others can see. Naruto… Gaara… Richochet… Jinchuuriki are completely amazing in strength and valour. And let's not forget Richochet's Hyuuga Genius._' He smiled fondly to himself. '_It's also nearly time for his generation to take over our world._'

The silver haired male walked over to them with his sempai. "We should leave now, Kakashi-sempai."

He nodded, eyeing the land that had also been poisoned.

Richochet looked up at him, seeing his rather lethargic look. "Did you think we'd stop growing after the three year trip, old man?"

He smiled at her wearily. "Old, indeed. I just didn't expect you all to get so powerful. Naruto could be Hokage within a couple years if Tsunade appoints him as one."

She smirked and looked to the sky. "God help us all if Naruto becomes Hokage, huh, Kakashi?" She said loudly as they listened with grins on their faces. "Ramen only for everyone!" Much to the amusement of everyone, Naruto then growled at her, stomping up to her.

"You want some of this?!" Naruto held up a fist to her face.

Richochet narrowed her eyes and put a hand to her hip, looking at him arrogantly. "Pah, who's the Taijutsu Master around here?!"

"Lee!"

"What!? You dumbarse! He's not here! It's me and you know it!"

"I'll beat you down with chakra then!"

"You've no control over it so it's _useless_!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Don't be lying to yourself, now!"

Naruto huffed at her, not pleased. "Tch. Let's just go home."

"_Oh,_ I'm so _sorry_…" She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and said falsely sweet. "But I live in Suna."

"There is no winning with you!"

"And that's why _I_ should be Hokage seeing as I never lose." Richochet swung an arm around his shoulder as the said shoulders dropped. "Honestly. You know I wouldn't be Hokage. Waaay too much effort for such a self-important, vain, drowning in tradition village."

"Thanks for insulting the village we grew up in." Kakashi said from the side of her. "Still, I'd understand why you feel that way."

"Why? Were you stripped off your ninja title too?" Richochet asked sarcastically. Kakashi laughed nervously and looked away. "That shut you up rather quickly."

Neji tapped her head. "Stop being mean."

Richochet huffed, herself, and grimaced. "But that's me…" She pouted a little, not noticing it. "How could I not? People don't change that easily you know."

Neji smiled. "But they still change."

The girl rolled her eyes, taking her arms away from Naruto and crossed them over her chest instead. "Suppose so… If they wanted to. You can lead a horse to a river but you can't make it drink."

"You changed."

"Like heck I did." Richochet scoffed at Naruto who just smiled at her knowingly. Neji wore the same smile as Naruto as she turned to him in investigation. "Tch." They just still smiled. "Oh, screw you both."

"Actually _I'm_ the screw." Neji interrupted, leaning on her slim shoulder with an elbow as Naruto laughed loudly. "And I'd rather be the only one to screw you. Not Uzumaki."

The hanyou sighed at her two friends as they grinned at her exasperation. "I thought we were leaving?"

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"Excellent work everyone." Tsunade congratulated them, smiling proudly. "Don't get complacent though. There are still Akatsuki to deal with. However, for now, you take a break. Taking down two Akatsuki would be trying on anyone." 

'_Not for us though. We still had about half to three quarter energy left._' Richochet pointed out with a proud smirk, arrogance leaking out from her.

'_Yeah, we rule. No one can beat us!_'

'_Don't get cocky you two._' Neji, the voice of reason said through to them. '_We still have to stick near each other to not get caught by Akatsuki or anyone else._'

'_Yeah, they may even come after you, Neji. For your essence that Richochet gave some of hers to you._' Naruto said thoughtfully. '_Who knows, dattebayo? They may think only the Jinchuuriki are worth it?_'

'_Both as likely as one another._' Richochet added in, not really listening.

"You now must look after yourselves more." Tsunade spoke up, unknowingly interrupting their conversation. "You're on the watch out for list most likely. And definitely you two, who'd they be after. Naruto, Richochet. And I also give congratulations on both, Richochet."

"..Both?"

Tsunade chuckled as Richochet and Neji stared at each other in confusion.

"Don't worry." The blonde woman remarked, waving a dismissing hand at the comment as if it were next to her. "Anyways, I'll be writing a letter to Gaara for thanking him for using his two Anbu members."

Naruto pointed at Richochet and Neji, jaw dropped. The other looked moderately shocked too. "You never told me you were ANBU MEMBERS!"

Richochet snickered. "…Stupid _GENIN!_ How could you not know?" She emphasised greatly on the last words making him twitch. "Honestly, you should have come with us to be Suna-Nin! Gaara would've put you in the same group as us."

"I thought you were a Taijutsu teacher at the Academy?" Naruto asked in puzzlement.

"I am, but I'm looking after Kino as well so no getting myself done in when I'm needed elsewhere more." Richochet answered him easily. "And I get to have some control over future generations." A smirk lit her face. "They'll so know who's really in charge when it comes to it."

"Manipulative bitch!" Naruto gawped and then nodded his head in an impressed way. "Nice one."

"Oh I know." Richochet gave a mocking bow, hand to chest in fake 'thanks' while the other was in a fist behind her back.

"Dismissed already!" Tsunade interrupted as the others looked on in amusement. "These kids…"

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Mizu stood back as Sasuke released Suigetsu, fiddling with Orochimaru's ring of Akatsuki. A flood of water dripped down and Suigetsu grunted as he shifted out of the water naked. Mizu averted her eyes modestly. 

"I'm second so…" Suigetsu spoke up, a light but mocking voice. "Who are the rest then?"

Sasuke shook his head, face still blank. "No, two more to go. Mizu is a healer for us. I'm taking Juugo from the north base and Karin from the south base."

"Oh really…" Suigetsu replied, disappointed.

"What?"

"I don't know of this Mizu other there…" The naked man stated turning to the girl leaning against a huge tube. "I really don't like those two at all. I really don't think I can get along with them."

"No need for you to get on extremely well. Just enough." Sasuke said in answer to that, cocking his head to the side, eyes lazy.

"Well, you did save me." He stood up, uncaring of his modesty. "I guess I could work with them if you'd like me to. Yet, I don't know what to make of the ones who have chosen those two… Sasuke."

"Oh, stop blathering on and get some clothes. We have to go." He sighed, turning his head away.

"Ha, ha, you really do talk like you're in charge." Suigetsu murmured, reappearing behind Sasuke. "Let's make one thing clear; just because you took out Orochimaru doesn't mean you're boss. Someone would have taken him out sooner or later. That snake liked you, and that's why you were by his side. And thus, with more chances..."

"Get on with it."

"..._You_ had more chances than the rest of us." Suigetsu finished, pointing a finger at the temple of the teen's head. "Right now I have the advantage."

Sasuke looked at him monotonously. "So what?"

They stared at each other for a few challenging moments.

Suigetsu grinned, shark like teeth bared. "Just kidding! You heart didn't skip a single beat there! Reassuring to know you really did beat Orochimaru and not just faking it. I heard you were strong… You were in a team that defeated my senior, Momochi Zabuza."

"…"

"I'll go with you."

Mizu cut in slowly, fiddling with the ring still. "May we leave then?" She asked politely, even though rudely interrupting. "I need to get something back with all due haste while I'm with the group."

Suigetsu stared at her before turning to Sasuke. "I too need to make a detour. A sword needs to be collected." He turned back to Mizu. "What do you need?"

"A pair of wings and my brothers back."

"Brothers?"

"Genkaku and the one now called Kino. He's Kaguya Clan, somehow." Mizu smiled softly. "Despite the clan being eliminated in war, a Kaguya still lives. Oh! Sasuke, Richochet has told me she found a small Uchiha boy in one of her villages. He had the Sharingan also."

Sasuke stared at her in disbelief. "Not possible."

"Why not?" Mizu blinked in surprise. She would have thought he'd be demanding her to show him where the boy is. Not that she knew. "I don't understand. Have you not had banished members in the past? Ones that successfully ran away like you and your brother have?"

"…There can't be. Fine. We go there first. Where is it?"

Mizu shrugged. "I'll write a letter to Richochet, though it's unlikely she would respond well."

"Hm?" Sasuke raised a brow as Suigetsu went off to get some clothes, bored with the conversation.

"She despises me for killing Gaara and as a thing from our childhood. One day, she'll find out the truth concerning what it is I tried to do." The long haired female nodded to herself, sadly smiling slightly. She took out a small scroll and pen from her bag. "We won't get a response immediately so it's best to get the other two first."

_

* * *

S. R,_

_Could I ask where this Uchiha boy is? Sasuke himself demands to see him and as one of his only family left, it would delight him if he could see the boy. I don't know what the Uchiha plans to do when he sees the boy._

_There are many things I could do to help if you will allow it._

_I have to see things by myself. I have been working undercover for Akatsuki and Orochimaru as you have been for Konoha and Suna, I hear. And Lord Toko is a nice name for you. Keep it up. _

_Akatsuki needs money as it's stage one for support. Stage two will be low buying rates so everyone will go to them for killing and have a good hold over everyone. A loyal group of mercs only loyal to Akatsuki. They would start wars with the power of Akatsuki, get others from poorer villages to pay for them to stop the wars, convincing everyone to use them other than bigger more expensive countries. Stage three, world domination by sheer monopolising of the ninja industry. Simple, but it's taken some couple decades. There are other plans underneath the underneath, such as money for self as in Kakuzu's place or myself to help others; you for a first._

_The Jinchuuriki will be the power of them for stage two and three. That is why they're after you. I have heard there are only two to four Jinchuuriki left. I also send Orochimaru's ring to you. Seeing as he's been killed it may be handy for you to have it, somehow. I have no need of two. My own is; Seiryuu, Azure Dragon and Orochimaru's; Kuuchin, Void._

_Please keep my brothers with you at all times. They'll like you a lot more than anyone else because of a reason you should already know if you ask 'Kino' himself._

_Mizu_.

* * *

Whistling a tune that summoned her pet to her, a small eagle flew down at high speed, landing on her shoulder gently. She rolled the scroll up and slipped it into a holder on his leg. "Find Richochet, make sure she answers straight away by following her." 

The golden bird bowed formally. "Yes, Enzeru-dono." It took flight immediately.

Sasuke looked at Suigetsu, who reappeared with clothes, running a hand through his hair. "Ready?"

"Yeah…"

"Let's go."

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Richochet waved the boy away. "No, I'm not staying." 

"Aww! Richocheeet!" Naruto whined, grabbing her arm with the bag on and holding it tight. "Pleeeaaase stay! We work so well together, 'ttebyo! So why not?!"

"I need to be at least a bit more loyal to Suna than this!" Richochet snapped back, making the boy pout. "You've got your friends, Naruto and they need you more than we do right now."

Neji waited patiently.

"But-"

"No. Go to Hinata and seduce her. And seeing as you lost the bet we made, you owe me even more." Richochet smirked. "Go ask her on a date, stay with her until she wakes from her faint and then drag her to a place to eat and then buy her something useful and pretty. That's what I want you to do. So do it."

Naruto whined and hugged her around the torso. She allowed it for a moment, putting a hand on his head. Naruto paused, sniffing her strongly for some reason.

"Whaaat?" Richochet asked dryly, giving an amused look to Neji.

"You smell… More... More Richochet."

Richochet rolled her eyes at his weirdness and pushed him back. "Yeah, whatever. Later then. See ya soon, little brother of mine." She winked at him, smirking and turned away, following Neji. "Be a stranger!"

Naruto sniffed. "I won't! So HA!"

She chuckled and jumped away with Neji.

"That boy likes you a lot." Neji stated softly. "I haven't seen him act like that to anyone."

"He's just an attention seeker." She looked away, smiling very vaguely.

"You like it too." Neji grabbed her around the waist and held her bridal style, barely feeling her weight with his demonic strength and clutching her to him. "Don't deny it."

Richochet sighed at his actions, wanting to run but would let him do what he wanted. Seeing as she could do no other than let him be happy and if this did the trick, well, she'd enjoy the ride. Simple as that. "…Only a little. I like this too before you ask. Why are you carrying me?"

Neji stared at her face that was centimetres from his; suddenly realising he was carrying her. "I don't… know."

She felt her face deadpan. "What do you _mean_ you don't know?"

"Exactly what I said."

"Ugh." Richochet leaned her right elbow on his left shoulder, holding her head up with her right hand. "Cheers, then. I'll get comfy."

"Hmm." Neji kept his eyes ahead as he locked lips with her for a moment, missing a step when she forcefully kissed back. She snickered as they parted and he had to duck both of their heads to dodge a stray low branch. Neji growled at the branch, snapping it off with a Gentle Fist attack to it. "Damnit Richochet! That branch nearly whacked us in the head!"

She burst out laughing.

"…You seriously don't care about your health do you?" Neji gaped at her before setting his face into a frowning motion.

"If that branch hit me it may have scrambled my brains back into place." Richochet smirked at him. "Thanks for keeping me insane."

Neji screwed up his face. "You, my mate, are mad."

"And I'm _all_ yours."

"Better be."

She poked him in the stomach, making him twitch his lips up. "Taking my lines… Jeeze…"

"You use them so much I thought I'd give them a reprieve off of you." The ex-Hyuuga stated, smirking wider than usual and turned her around so her legs settled around his waist and arms around his neck as if she were a child to take care of. He knew he was acting a little different than usual, but guessed himself to be more protective now she was his wife and Akatsuki were more at large.

"How kind." She said sarcastically, shaking her head with the two words. "Such a brilliant husband."

"Damn right I am. You seem more affectionate."

"Only around you."

* * *

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* * *

As soon as the two touched down inside the barrier of Suna's village, a bird similar to the one Richochet remembered Mizu having floated down to her and touched upon Neji's shoulder. The bird shuffled to face her and Richochet huffed to see it was for her. 

"Mizu…" She growled. "_Just_ what I need."

She took the scroll and snapped it open with both hands, scowling at the page and caught the ring before it dropped to the ground. "I seem to be receiving rings a lot these days." Richochet muttered as Neji hugged her around the shoulders and collarbone. "Want to know where the other Uchiha is… Yadda Yadda Yadda… Keep Kino near. Well, well, she does come in useful, doesn't she?"

Neji looked at the English writing and sighed. "You must teach me this language."

"Yeah, sure. I will."

"What's useful?"

"She's decided to be honest." Richochet smirked at him, baring white teeth dangerously. "Akatsuki's actual goals instead of speculating what they could be."

Neji snapped his head and then pointed to the place with a large chunk of writing in a paragraph. "This part?"

"Yes. Two to four Jinchuuriki left…" Richochet looked away from the paper and Neji. "Shit. This is getting me pissed off. Taking the other innocent Jinchuuriki… Using them… Why does this happen?" Her fists clenched and she trembled in her anger. "We get used, abused, refused and tossed away…"

Electric sparked around them as her anger rose.

"I hate it. So much. And we can't do anything about it!"

'Do you require assistance?' Gaara voice echoed loudly and commandingly.

Naruto spoke up, feeling her pissed off emotions from far off. '_What's wrong, 'ttebayo?!_'

'_There are only two to four Jinchuuriki left._' Neji replied to them swiftly. '_We've found out Akatsuki's goals and we have Orochimaru's Akatsuki ring as well._'

'_WHAT?!_'

'_Neji. You're going to take me somewhere and you will screw my brains out so I don't have to think of this anymore, got it?_' Richochet stared at him intensely. '_Fuck me. So much so that I scream._'

How the hell could he deny his wife that?

"As you wish."

Grabbing her, Neji quickly took off with her.

* * *

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* * *

Okay, gots ta point out - I made Naruto's element Water. I always felt he was a water type for some reason. He's the exact opposite of the fire fox Kyuubi, so it fits in my mind. Things are starting to heat up, ah? It is following the manga still like before, but it will deviate from the true cannon for my fic. Don't ya just love fanfiction?

Ten Words?

Well... Um. Ah, no. This time we're having an interlude. Naruto and Richochet talk about their time on the road!

Let's see what laughs I can make. Love you guys for reviewing so far!

Ja ne, tomodachi-san's!

_

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**R.**

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	38. Chapter XXXVIII

**(Munching on ice cream, wishing it was caramel flourved Ice Cream instead of vanilla) Yo. Here's the chappie then.**

_Mucho lovin' ta-_

_Zero Asakura - Joster13 - Neko of Light - Hibiki-chan - Emerald Lady - SilverMononoke - Depressing Truths - Mizuki - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Blood Zephyr - Kimura Akira - Kiros Razer - RyuHagakure - Nikki Hatake - Miorochi - Suna-Angel_

_Without Further Ado, I present to you, Chapter Thirty Eight for you._

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**Chapter Thirty Eight**

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Richochet grumbled as she sat at the teachers' desk in the teachers reporting hour at the end of the week, five nearly six slow, but relaxing weeks later. Wearing a plain pair of leather bottoms that stuck to her legs, some baggy Hyuuga style top she borrowed from Neji since she felt bloated with eating so much breakfast that day and some black ankle boots, she gave a yawn. '_Damn, do _I_ want some watermelon. These people are boring me._'

'Deal with it. I deal with reports and boring old farts called a council you deal with bratty children and stuck up teachers.' Gaara stated, calm and serene as always.

'_At least I could spruce up those old farts and fake reading those reports. Kids are exhausting, ask way too many questions and cry a lot. And these stuck up teachers are worse then Neji when I first met him! They hate me for making the kids like _my_ lesson best! Which is stupid because we all know it's the best._'

'_I heard that._'

'_That I wanted watermelon? Yes, please._'

Neji scoffed into their link.

Richochet blinked and looked out the window, knowing someone's chakra she knew was coming in. Whose was it again? Five of them… Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I think we should take some lessons away. It's far too much for both parties." The History teacher complained.

Oh, and they were all whiny men too. What was with that? From what she'd seen of the Suna male Nin was that they were damn hardcore. Take Gaara for example. Hot, tough and top of the chain.

'Thank you.' Gaara said, actually seeming thankful. 'I don't think anyone's said that to me without fainting.'

'_Those fan girls of yours?_' Richochet smirked slightly.

'Yes.'

'_Hold the phone_.'

'What phone?'

'_How about this then. Shut up for a moment I have someone to insult._'

'Understood.'

"What do you mean take away some of the lessons, you pathetic, spineless _fool_?" Richochet sneered at him making him stiffen, knowing he was about to get the verbal shock treatment. "I will not have this country filled to the brim with puny little brats who could barely reach Chuunin because of _your_ lack of caring."

"It's too much for us. We're not used to-"

"Get used to it."

"But..."

"No _buts_. Do you want the reputation of this village to go downhill? No. You don't. I'm not giving you a choice on whether or not you think it will. It _will_ if you blundering idiots don't stop complaining. Children are easy to deal with."

The others frowned at each other. "Then you teach them all." They exited the room with small smug looks on their faces.

Richochet scowled. '_Fuck. Not good. I can't do any bloody Genjutsu._'

'You scared away _my_ teachers.'

'_Yeah, well…_' Richochet mumbled in her mind, crossing her arms. '_They were shit anyway!_'

Gaara growled in annoyance. 'Teachers are damn well hard to come by, Richochet!'

'_I didn't mean to bloody well scare them away!_'

'Get more then.'

Richochet groaned and stood up, not really bothered today. And he was her C.O. too. '_Fine, fine, Ka-ze-ka-ge-sa-ma._' She moved from the room, remembering to lock the door behind her with a key from her pocket. Not that there was anything to steal apart from a couple kunai and a random senbon or something. It was a pretty value-less place.

She walked down the corridor, whistling to herself. Or at least trying to whistle a tune. It kind of came out with spit instead. Her whistling sucked, so shouldn't even bother attempting it again for a while. And she wouldn't even try humming or singing. That would probably kill the surrounding living beings.

Moving out the corridor and into the outside, she locked the double doors and turned around to see Kino waiting for her. He grinned at her and jumped into her arms and she caught him easily.

"Ne! Ne! I did it! I'm finally a Medic-Nin!" Kino cried happily, clutching her tightly and Richochet grinned smugly, pride filling her face. "I'm so happy! Can we have some cake tonight?"

"What one?"

"Hmm… Strawberry Cheesecake!"

Richochet's mouth watered slightly. "That sounds so good it's untrue. Not chocolate thank god. I'm feeling fruity." Richochet smirked at his giggle and then wondered at him. "Hey… It's nearly Neji's birthday again. What do I get him?"

Then she frowned before scowling, hiding it easily and summoned weasels around them.

Kino frowned and looked up to her in confusion. "What's that for?"

"I just wanted them around." Richochet winked at him and looked at the weasels and whispered harshly to them. "Surround the place! Now, what should I get him?"

"I don't know." Kino shrugged, not too sure and wiggled to get down. He dropped to the ground, wearing his cloak and cowl around his neck in the white of the Medic-Nin in hospital. Battlefield Medical Ninja wore dark brown ones with white cowls. "You've given him a lot of things. And you already gave him The Scroll, remember?"

She nodded as they walked to town, Kino gripping her hand and swinging it happily. "Yeah… Maybe I should make a card."

"And get all the school children to sign it!" The Medic said cheerfully. "And me and Deida…ra…" He trailed off and moved behind his Lightning Mistress as they stared at Sasuke, Mizu, and three others Richochet had no notion of, nor cared about.

Mizu stepped forward. "Richochet, I-"

"Get the fuck out of Suna." Richochet snarled, eyes shining red and Kazangan whirling. "Or I **will** hurt you."

She winced and the other three looked at each other while Sasuke watched on calmly. "Look, I wasn't going to kill him! I was ordered to by the Akatsuki! Didn't you get my other messages?!"

"I read them and burned them instantly." Richochet replied snidely, eyes whirling viciously.

Mizu tried a different path. "I see you found my brother Koudo. The Kaguya Clan one. Koudo, may I really see you?"

Kino stayed behind her legs, not budging. "No. Go away, sister Enzeru."

'_Gaara, Neji. Sasuke and his new… team are in front of me. As is Mizu._'

'Get names and anything else you can.'

'_I'll be there straight away and in hiding._'

Richochet crossed her arms belligerently, glaring them down. "And who are the followers you gathered?"

"Suigetsu, Juugo and Karin. Left to right."

'_Got that?_'

'Yes.'

Sasuke stepped forward and then all five looked around as hundreds of weasels of all sizes surrounded them, growling viciously. Kama himself was standing over the two Suna-Nin, teeth bared at the enemies. "We did not come here to fight."

"Oh really? What did you come here for? Tea?" She asked sarcastically. "Get stuffed. I don't like you. Naruto constantly rambles on about you and it drives me mad. What do you want?"

Karin finally spoke up. "Don't talk to Sasuke-Taichou like that!"

'_This Karin one is fond overly so of Uchiha Sasuke._'

'Yes.'

Richochet rubbed her ear in irritation. "Banshee, shut up." Richochet pointed at her and let a bolt of lightning fly at her, missing on purpose and striking the tree into ash as a warning. "Or I'll electrocute you to death."

Storm clouds rolled in threateningly, the noise echoing over the land warningly in a dazzling fear-inspiring show.

Karin shut up, nodding in fear, staring resolutely at the Lightning Mistress.

Suigetsu laughed loudly. "That finally quietened her down! Thank you, girly!" He hefted up a huge blade on his back and she spared it a thoughtful glance before looking back at Sasuke. "A ton, honestly. Why'd you look at the blade like that?"

'_Suigetsu doesn't work well with his team mates and smell distinctly of sea water. He has a huge blade with a hole at the end and looks extremely heavy. He may be one of the Seven Swordsmen._'

"Nice sword. I have swords too. Fun."

Suigetsu smirked proudly. "It belonged to my sempai, Momochi Zabuza."

'_Momochi Zabuza. Ring any bells?_'

'_Hey, we beat him! And we called the bridge The Great Naruto Bridge. Oh yeah! Wait! Why does HE have the sword, dattebayo?!_'

"What are you here for?"

"The Uchiha boy."

Richochet raised a brow and scoffed. "Why would I hand him over to a betrayer? You'd as soon as kill him as you would Itachi." She said dryly and waved that away. "Next question."

He glowered darkly at that, but went on. "Where is he?"

"Somewhere." Richochet looked at her nails in boredom.

"A little more detail please." Sasuke asked monotonously, fingering his sword edgily. "I want to check for myself."

"No. Consider it this way. You kill Itachi and prove your worthy enough of such an honour… you get the boy." A smirk tilted her lip up slightly. "I think that's fair. I wouldn't want to hand over such a good Genjutsu user as he is to a boy. Then again, I wouldn't want to hand over a boy to a man that would kill his own brother."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and unsheathed his blade, pointing it at her. "Tell me. Stop playing games."

Richochet bit her thumb and ran it over the scroll, unleashing two blades that she reinforced with a poisoned edge of her own fang poison. It was in a small dosage so it would only disintegrate anything a few centimetres from the cut, but the after effects were worse if not treated with water and her curing saliva. "I have two. And I've got a whole more chakra than you."

The weasels growled and Kama sneered down at them. "An' let's not forget us, eh?" His voice was deeper than the playful one it usually was.

"I must apologize, Sasuke, but against Richochet with my brother behind her; I will not fight. I would not even fight her alone." Mizu said, and backed away from the battle.

"Wana, swallow her for safe keeping and bring her to Konohagakure no Sato with a message." She ordered the weasel nearest to Mizu. The rather large weasel about a story high in light coloured fur swallowed her into a special compartment that knocked the person in there out. Not even a scream was heard it was so fast. "Keep her for interrogation by Ibiki."

The weasel ran off the way and on the way to Konoha.

Richochet's lips pulled down in distaste, looking a touch thoughtful. "So, she wanted to get caught, hmm?"

"Those are Raiga's swords!" Suigetsu stated in shock, finally registering where he'd seen them from. "You the one who killed him?"

"Yes. It was rather simple." Richochet said tersely, glaring at them in irritation. She preferred fighting to info gathering. She left that to others in her line of work. Morino, Ibiki for example. '_Okay, not the battle but what we did was simple enough._' She stared at the shark toothed male. "That is also one of the swords of the swordsmen."

"I'll be taking those." Suigetsu smirked. "I'm collecting."

"How _quaint_."

'Get info on that other male.'

"If you're tagging to get swords…" Richochet pointed with her own swords held with skill to the Mist Nin. "You're tagging because your lovey-dovey with the Uchiha Bastard…" Karin yelled in denial and she pointed to the vengeful Sharingan user. "You're wanting to kill your brother. Then what the hell are you here for? Amusement?"

He smiled bashfully at her, blushing slightly at her attention, making a growl echo from the tree area, low enough for her only to hear it. "So I don't go on a murderous rampage. The Uchiha is my prison. He keeps me sane when I go crazy."

"Cute… Split personality?"

"Yeah."

"You were kept in a cell as well?"

"You were too?" Juugo asked shyly.

"Yes." Her eyes darkened in hatred. "They thought me psychopathic." She said uncaringly. "I still am, so I don't mind now. Much. I just kill loads of bandits for fun instead and take their money."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Richochet looked decidedly evil as she smirked at them, tilting her head back to look down at them from her nose. "Weasels, keep 'em busy."

Sasuke suddenly disappeared and she blocked his attack easily with a sword thrust horizontally against his vertical one. "You will not beat me in a pure power match, Uchiha Sasuke. In fact… You never will beat me in any match. HAH!" She forced a burst of electricity into the blood and bones copy of him.

"Come out little boy…" Richochet sing-songed mockingly, creating her own Kage Bunshin without any hand seals. "If you can't beat me… what chances do you have against Itachi-kun?" She dodged another attack by Sasuke as he went for her upper arm and locked blades with the real one, seeing him glare at her with revulsion.

She stared into his eyes, her own Kazangan easily deflecting the Genjutsu he aimed at her with the Mangekyou Sharingan, bursting chakra out of some tenketsu in her face as the line of chakra that came with Genjutsu fired out to her. "That won't work. Your Sharingan is rendered useless against my Kazangan. Are you scared? Why don't you just… _run_?"

Sasuke snarled in rage and went in to lop her head off but was blocked by a hand full of chakra from a Byakugan wielding male.

Neji narrowed his eyes at the shorter, younger male, giving his own version of a demonic snarl.

"Don't you dare touch her, Uchiha." Neji said, deadly and threatening. "Don't. You. Even. Dare."

Richochet's eyes widened as everything stilled in shock, watching the male seem to burst, filled to the brim with and chakra and power. Neji stood out in colour more than ever, making her heart pound hard, missing a beat. Her beast was clawing to get to him, worried and aroused and it reflected in her eyes and body.

Neji slipped his eyes to her, full of rage and fury. She definitely stopped any thought she had of surviving when he looked at her like that.

It was…

So…

So…

So _much_.

Just everything.

Just pure everything.

She trembled, eyes widening.

This was the type of emotion she loved seeing on him.

Pure emotion.

And it was only one of the few times she had seen him as anything else other than orgasmic.

It didn't matter it was a dark emotion.

It was one he gave to her.

Demons don't love.

They obsess.

And oh boy was she obsessing.

She grinned unrepentantly, suddenly pounding with adrenaline and other such energy boosters and eyes brightly glowing a melting lava. "Oh, do you make me wanna…" She trailed off and then commanded her Bunshin to go and do its' job as she tried but failed to look away, mesmerised.

The Bunshin of her rammed her sword into Sasuke's upper arm, but he moved and skimmed only the upper shoulder into a clean cut. The cut slowly spread its purple miasmic poison into the skin, infecting everywhere it crept into, killing off cells slowly but surely.

Richochet smirked at the boy, Kazangan switching off. "I'd give you a few more days to live at best, Uchiha Sasuke. Come see me when you want to return to Konoha and inform their Hokage of what has been happening at Orochimaru's and get an _antidote_. Naruto will tell me if you do or don't."

They disappeared in a blink.

There was a pause of silence before the weasels bowed to their leader and disappeared. Feeling light headed, she held her head and kneeled to the ground.

"Shit…"

Neji quickly kneeled down beside her and held her hair back as she puked up what little food hadn't converted to energy. "I realise you get ill easily enough, but nothing has been going around." He frowned in confusion, rattling his brain to figure out why she had become so ill. "Your poison doesn't affect you. They didn't do any poison or illness jutsu..."

Richochet sighed and then spoke her mind. "I don't know. Look, it's been a hella crappy day with only two good things. The best was that Kino…" She looked around for him and another weasel that towered over her while she sat bowed his head and Kino jumped off to hug her tightly as the weasel poofed away. "Kino made Medic Nin status t'day."

"Yup! I did it! But is Chet-dono okay?"

"I'm feelin' better." She stood up fluidly and then staggered, swiftly steadied by Kino and Neji at the shoulders and the stomach. "I, was, at least feelin' better. Now I wanna puke."

Neji nodded, still concerned. "You'll be better in no time. Right?" He raised a brow at her slang, knowing she felt even more ill if she couldn't be bothered to form proper sentences.

"Course I will. Can't keep me down." Richochet smirked but looked a little pale around the edges and moved away from her stomachs remains on the ground.

"I'll heal you if you want." Kino smiled sneakily. "I'm a Medic-Nin to the rescue!"

"After some watermelon and strawberry cheesecake." Richochet nodded, making it a decree and then yawned. "And then you can while I sleep, I'm sooo tired today… I seriously want some melon badly. My body is demanding it. And nuts."

* * *

_((Editor: That sounds…..naughty. :3))_

_R: I seriously hadn't realised that... but I suppose Neji did! ;D!_

* * *

Kino and Neji shared thoughtful looks before walking after her, eyeing her speculatively. 

The Kaguya boy spoke up happily, grasping her hand. "Melon contains folic acid… Nuts have Omega three in it."

"Yea… So?"

"Just saying!" He swung their hands again, Neji following eyeing her body, wondering.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

They entered town and Kino dragged her to the market. Instantly the smells assaulted their three noses and they sighed in content as the scents of all foods and products hit them. 

"It's so nice…" The limed eyed eight years old said dreamily.

"I… Concur." Richochet mumbled, looking to the market stall that held the melons and other fruits lovingly. "We hafta get some now." She stated and walked over to the stall. "How much for the watermelon?"

"Ah, that'd be ten ryou, my dear." An old lady said to her with a wrinkled smile on her face. "Though for you, Seishou-san, it will be seven."

"…Thanks, but why?"

"Our Flower Girls." The old lady laughed. "They've taken a shine to you and your family. They especially think that husband of yours is extremely handsome."

Richochet gawped and looked at Neji in surprise who shrugged back at her, grinning. "Seriously? Tell them sorry but he's taken. Off the market. No go zone. Capice?"

"Richochet, they're just children." He said softly, but pleased at her irritation.

"Though, my other grandson, who is a couple years older, things you're very sexy." The old lady stirred up trouble for the heck of it, her twinkling blue eyes sharp.

Neji stepped in front of Richochet and eyed the woman with renewed interest. "Who is he? Where can I warn him off she's my wife?"

Richochet smirked. "Just children, huh?"

Neji scoffed in displeasure and looked away, taking his wallet out from his pocket in his three quarter lengths.

The silver eyed being was wearing Anbu clothing that was identically to that in Konohagakure. Black top with silvery tight armour over it and gloves that were slim and came up and over to his elbows and on top of the gloves was matching silvery armguards was tightly on his body. With black three quarters lengths and then black shinobi sandals, he looked hot.

Especially since he'd taken a liking to having his hair up in the way Richochet had done it back in Konoha.

He'd taken Richochet's job and dispatched bandits around Suna, taking money and had to admit, it wasn't the nicest work, but it helped calm his beast down. The beast had become especially territorial around her since she'd become his mate and was irritated when any male he didn't know came up to her; even if they were married. It was crazy with all the instincts in his body running rampant.

"We'll take a red watermelon and a yellow watermelon." He said to the old lady, completely ignoring his earlier statements. "And some cherries and apricots."

"Let's round it to thirty ryou, eh? For Seishou-san doing a good job in being a teacher. They, my three soft little dears, actually beat a robber when he tried to get into our house. What was it… Ah yes. They used Leopard style. Fit's them perfectly. Gave your grandmother a fright but still saved me!"

Richochet smirked. "I knew I'd get results from Mimako, Mikoma and Mimoki. Mimako likes Wing Chun more though even if she's better at Leopard. Tell them to keep it up."

The old lady laughed. "Will do, will do!"

"Cheesecake!" Kino tugged at her borrowed top and she followed him as he pulled her away.

"I'm Saki Kyoto." The Grandmother smiled happily. "And congratulations on your marriage, young man! Ah, how nice it is to see young love and young marriage! Oh, if I were ten years younger…"

'_Ten…?_' Neji sweatdropped but chuckled anyway with her. '_Or fifty, rather… But who's counting, though?_' He straightened up and gave a small bow to her. "Thank you very much."

Richochet inwardly burst out laughing at his thoughts and went to argue with Kino.

"You're a fine boy. Keep each other happy!"

"Will do."

He moved away to see his wife who was in conflict with Kino.

"Cherry and raspberry!" Kino said pointing to one cake.

"Strawberry!"

"Cherry and raspberry!"

"Strawberry!"

"Cherry and raspberry!"

Richochet glowered at the boy. "Strawberry! Who's the one buying?"

"Neji-sama!"

"No way! I am!"

Neji himself interrupted them. "Why don't we get half of each?" Still having his wallet out, Neji turned to the vendor who was grinning at him in amusement. "We'll buy a full apricot cheesecake, please."

"WHAT?!" The other two glared at him and he smirked back.

"It's the best one." He shrugged at their put off looks.

Richochet sighed. "Aw, man… I really wanted strawberry."

Kino sighed. "I really wanted cherry and raspberry."

They sighed again in unison. "Aww…"

Neji chuckled at them.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Ibiki stared at the long haired girl with calm eyes. Everything she said he believed to be fully true. She'd answered every question instantly, which was rather boring, but new. 

"Hmm… Why have you told me this?"

"Richochet wanted me to tell you."

Ibiki remembered that one for sure. "The psychopathic one."

"She's not psychopathic. Just messed up in the head from her grandfather. He made her think things as a child and now she believes those beliefs are actually her own. The lack of emotional intelligence that comes with psychopaths, along with lack of control with impulses and manipulative behaviour, may be genetic, but it was only prompted by that wretched man. She's really just a bitchy, anti-scocial, person."

"You know her past?" Ibiki asked bluntly.

Mizu nodded her head under his close scrutiny. "I know things in her past even she doesn't know."

"Will you tell me something?" He asked, leaning against the wall.

Mizu shrugged. She didn't mind any question. "Like what?"

"The grandfather."

"Sorry. That's her business."

"Well, then… Her sister. I heard she had a sister."

"Heard or told and from who?"

"Richochet herself. She intrigues me." Ibiki smirked as Mizu chuckled.

"She intrigues many. Which is why she's currently married, Ibiki-san." The female said softly, happy for the girl. "She had two. One older brother, one twin sister."

"A twin." He said in disbelief. "Good grief. Another one."

"Grief…" Mizu smiled, eyes darkening as Ibiki picked up all signs. "Quite."

"You don't like this twin?"

"If Richochet doesn't, then why should I?"

"Don't you have your own opinion?"

"Yes, but hers is worth a lot more than mine."

Ibiki sighed and leaned away from the wall, using his lower back and behind to push off the wall. He leaned over her, intimidating her. "Who was she that you didn't like her?"

"You don't have to do that. I answer your questions, correct?"

"True." He moved back, annoyed with this one for being so easy when he had other better pickings in other cells. "Go ahead."

"I was her fake twin sister, Shoko."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Rakuin gripped his head with his large, tanned hands. 

'Shut up, Mana.'

'_That's Queen Mana to you._'

'_But dearest Rakuin... You really should do what I say._' A bolt of pain shot down his spine and he clenched his hand into his hair, pulling the luscious black locks roughly as he gritted his teeth, determined not to shout out his pain to the whole building. '_Did you like that?_'

'Go irritate someone else!' He muttered threateningly.

'_The other you is having some fun gathering people. Not many want to, and what a pity that is... It's that damn Akatsuki and Lord Toko getting everyone or killing everyone! It makes things hard to do when you have plans that need making! Tch._'

'I don't care for your plans! Just get over yourself and stop ruining it for others! I got you here, didn't I?! Stop doing this to me!'

'_I could… If you find a jutsu that can transfer souls._' She laughed, knowing that he wouldn't find one when their souls breaking apart would cause death for them both.

'Promise?'

'_Of course._' Mana said flippantly, as if it were nothing to her.

'Swear it?'

Mana sighed and shot a huge ball of pain down his back. '_Nice tattoo down the spine for you as a seal of my promise. A blaze of black tumbling hellfire._'

'Hellfire? Just who are you? What are you?'

'_I am a succubi. Called a demon… but not exactly, it is hard to say what I am. Just a dark, lust filled being. I am a succubi._' Mana said softly, always knowing he was wondering what she truly was.

Rakuin looked at the sweat lightly covering his hands. "Hell, what is going on in my body? Nye! Come here."

Nye opened up, looking as cheeky as ever. "Yah, whaddup?"

"Take over the work for a bit." Rakuin stood up and moved around him, ignoring his gaping friend. He really wasn't in the mood to just sit around and do things when he really wanted to do something else.

"Wha…What?! I have places to go, girls to check out! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!"

Rakuin ignored him, looking for the little lady his affections were for only. "She said she'd be out here somewhere…" He mumbled and then looked down to himself.

Ink splotches were on his hands from overworking zealously. His face was likely redder from the headache of keeping in the pain from Mana, bloody woman, and he was still trembling. With a thought he calmed himself, taking a deep breath. He controlled his heart and within moments the rush of adrenaline the pain brought him visibly went.

"Good. Shower first, Hanabi second, eating next." He tapped off his fingers. "Want to look my best for her."

"Rakuin, WHAT THE HELL?!" Nye shouted from his office. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS RUBBISH!"

"Idiot." Rakuin scoffed and walked on quickly before Nye caught up to him. "Home. Shunshin no jutsu." He murmured, a drop of water in his place as he felt Nye hurriedly come around the corner.

Nye moaned in disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me. I can't do this…"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Rakuin felt far more refreshed when smelling of zingy orange and lime and in a new male kimono of expensive taste in a lovely shade of steel blue with a border of lighter mint green. Underneath he wore a black vest and some shinobi three quarter lengths in the blue of Kirigakure no Sato along with shinobi sandals in black. 

There was also a kunai and shuriken pouch on his upper right thigh, being right handed, and underneath that was his hitae-ate. On his head was the necessary hat of the Mizukage for the 'water sign' on it and he held onto it as he tied it with the strap under his head.

He never wore anything nice without something more practical underneath. When you're Mizukage, it helps in case of attack. And attacks there had been on him. Apparently, and unfortunately for him, the first one and a half years could have a Mizukage attacked by anyone to keep him in top form.

Rakuin jogged down the road. "Where are you, girl?"

"Mizukage-sama! How are you today?!" A man yelled from his fish store.

"Fine, Koueki! And you?!"

"Everything's fine! We're moving though!"

Rakuin paused and looked back in confusion. "Moving?"

"To one of Lord Toko's villages!" Koueki grinned cheerfully. "Don't worry we don't leave today or nothin', just soon!"

"Oh, well…" The Mizukage was silent for a moment, unsure. "…Good for you! See you soon!"

"Good day! Say hi to your girlfriend for me!"

Rakuin blushed and stuttered an 'Alright!' to him before running off this time, hoping for no more embarrassment. Honestly, these people had no lives for themselves!

Koueki chuckled to himself, fiddling with his white beard.

Rakuin finally made his way to the practice area he said he'd meet her at if he wasn't done at the office for a long time. Breaking through a patch of grass and around a bush, he peered down at the small female at the base of a tree, sleeping. He smiled softly at the girl who was breathing deeply, quietly, like any trained ninja was made to do perfectly.

Kneeling down next to her, he watched her. She looked so… _fragile_ when she was asleep. But that was the Hyuuga female for you. And many a male Hyuuga, though most had broad shoulders and strong arms. "So adorable and innocent. Makes me feel bad for liking you, girly."

He tapped her cheek after a few more minutes. "Ne, Hanabi. Wake up."

Her eyes blinked once and then she looked up at him blankly. A smile slowly slid onto her lips.

"Rakuin."

'That makes a guy feel special.' He grinned back at her. "Hanabi."

She stood up slowly, a sweet smile on her face with warm eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Rakuin stood up as well, still grinning back at her.

She scowled in annoyance. "Where the HELL were you?! Do you know how long I waited?!" She put her hands to her hips, glaring up at him in a complete feminine mood of irritation no man could pull off.

"Ooh boy... Hanabi! You _know_ I'm Mizukage. And it's hard work, you know!" Rakuin defended himself. It really wasn't his fault other people had so many demands and complaints that went to him.

Hanabi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Naginata lessons now!"

Rakuin groaned. "What about lunch?"

"Well, I'll be hungry after." Hanabi said promptly, lifting up the previously unseen Naginata beside her. "So, you can pay for me then."

Rakuin gasped a fake gasp. "The cheek of it…" Rakuin said teasingly, poking her in the cheek at the same time he spoke the word. "So demanding of you, little princess."

"_I_ am not little." Hanabi put a finger up to his face. He kissed it much to her amusement as her cheek slightly turned pink. "Hey…"

"You're just too cute for words."

'_I could be cute if you want. An unearthly adorable cuteness._' Queen Mana spoke up.

'Don't be presumptuous. I don't want a controlling woman like you.'

'_Hanabi is controlling._'

'Demanding and controlling are two different things, indeed.'

Mana sighed. '_I never have any fun with you. It's always the bad ones I get._'

'I wonder why…'

'_You know. You obviously like this one… Should you really keep her around you with me in you? Who knows when I'll do something a little… Ah… naughty?_'

Rakuin sighed to himself, torn between the logical side and the emotional side when it came to Hanabi and her safety. Her wanted her safe so he could be with her again, but he also wanted her with him so he could watch her for as long as he could, burning her image into his memory. His protective instincts went crazy every time that thought came up.

Mana cocked her head to the side. '_Don't you just want her? I don't understand your stupid human ways.' _Queen Mana stated conceitedly._ 'Idiot humans._'

Rakuin chuckled. "Silly Mana. Grow up."

"What?"

"Nothing Hanabi." He grinned at her summoning his Naginata. "Let's fight!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Neji watched the boy anxiously as Richochet read a book on the History of Clans she had gotten him, slices of melon next to her, one in hand, slowly eating it and spitting out pips into the bag Neji carried it in. She was sitting at a desk in the corner they used for reports and reading, on a comfy wooden chair with nice cushioning. 

He shifted and turned to the boy. "Well? Do it already. If we both think it is then we should see."

Kino frowned. "Not yet. When she sleeps I'll check her over."

"What are you boys talking about?" Richochet asked, taking a bite of yellow watermelon, having nearly eaten the whole thing. She would've hurried but she didn't want to ruin the tome she'd gotten her husband as a gift and generally be messy. "Checking me over? For what?"

"We think you might have an illness." Kino said informatively. "You were feeling dizzy and you puked so we wan't to make sure you're okay. Can I check you over later?"

Richochet raised a brow and drawled out. "If you'd want… Don't worry; I get ill plenty and it goes in days or even hours if I'm lucky. Quick to break, quick to heal and break it back. And don't _you_ should like an emotionless doctor now?"

Kino pouted and blushed as he looked away and Neji took over. "True… We may be worrying over nothing." Neji stated, feeling put down. '_It would've been nice…_' He thought idly.

Richochet raised a brow at him. "What would?"

"Nothing."

She eyed him for a few scant seconds, knowing he was lying, but she'd get it out of him later. "If you're sure…"

Neji smirked. She knew him alright. "Yes."

Richochet shook her head. "Mmhmm." She replied, sounding as though she didn't believe him. "If you say so."

He chuckled and got up, stretching his arm over his chest as he moved over to her. Bending down he kissed her on the cheek lingeringly. "I had to kill a few people today and one of them could run decently fast."

"Outrun from…" Richochet turned to him in disbelief, nudging his nose with hers in slight scolding. "…A lightning demon? Christ, Neji, it seems as if I'll have to be _your_ teacher or something. I have been teaching you Wing Chun and all…" Richochet smirked conceitedly looking away.

Neji bopped her on the head. "You are so arrogant."

"Ah you like me that way." She frowned and tugged his hair twice, looking determined. "If you're tired, then _rest_." She said in slight demanding, eyes narrowing and face pulling into a frown.

"Yet, you have a nice streak."

"I'm a bit of this and that, here and there. All that nice stuff. And like I said, only for you."

Neji kissed her on the forehead, leaving a mark of chakra for his own reply.

He walked out with a wink, making her feel all warm inside and he _knew_ it, the bugger.

"Oh bloody hell. Stupid Neji…" She mumbled, hearing him laugh at her.

Kino looked at her. "You said I could check you over when you slept."

"Ugh! What is the rush? It's just a bit of illness." Richochet asked and her stomach grumbled for more food. She patted her stomach nice and… slim? She ran her hand down her usually slim waist… but a very small bump was felt. "Kino get your arse here. N_ow_."

Kino grinned, mentally thinking _'at last',_ and jumped over to her, grabbing a sheet of paper he had for this. He put his hands together for a simple check over jutsu that brought out the vital statistics of her on a piece of paper.

Reading the signals he wrote down to her body, he spoke up. "Okay brain patterns; apart from your psychopathic ways, highly active and for a demon, normal. Breathing; super average due to demonic gift and the same for sense apart from your eyes with no colour due to demonic gift. Why isn't Neji-sama like that? Muscles, normal, bones, normal, blood normal… as you can get for you."

"Kino! Hurry the fuck up! You know what I want!"

Neji appeared leaning against the door, instantly interested.

"I don't know if this is wrong or something, but it shows your pregnant and… at the end of your first trimester?"

"The fuck?" She frowned in thought, working it out slowly. "Trimester… tri… three… I'm three months pregnant, already? How..." She didn't want to faint or anything but she was three months pregnant in one and it was freaking her out.

"I have the feeling-"

Richochet finished for him. "-It's due to being a weasel demoness. Weasels are pregnant for five weeks. Weasel demons may be for five months or less." Richochet stated slowly and then place a hand on her stomach. "Can you tell how many children I may be having, Kino?"

"This jutsu gives a view of what they look like also."

"Bloody hell… NEJI!" Richochet called and he appeared behind her hugging her around the shoulders tightly, ecstatic and bubbling with joy. "Look what you did to me! I'm up the duff! Knocked up! A bun in the oven! I'm carrying your children! I'm gonna be a mum! You're gonna be a dad! Oh Shinigami-sama…" She shook, not sure what to feel.

Happy?

Scared?

Whole?

Anxious?

Overjoyed?

Kino did a different set of hands seals. "Do you want to know the gender also?"

"…What the hell, go for it…" Richochet was trembling. "Holy shit… children… children… Neji, I'm pregnant." She turned around and hugged him hard, shaking with emotions and swallowing saliva and acid that built up. Then she blinked and moved back, giving him a firm look. "Treat me any differently and I'll punch you, got it?"

Neji nodded, feeling sweat drop down his neck. "Don't worry. I'll treat you as if you were made of glass." He smirked, teasing, showing off small fangs.

"You flippin' well better no-"

"Three!" Kino grinned and they turned around to see three small babies. Two red glows of chakra surrounded the two babies on the far right and a light blue chakra around the boy. "Two girls and a boy!"

"We've got kittens."

"Is that what weasel babies are called…? Kittens…?" Neji murmured, dazed as he watched the forms wriggle a bit, small humanoid shaped beings in his wife stomach. "They're our kittens…" He pulled her close to him and sobbed into her neck. "I cannot express how happy I am." He said through tears and Richochet tilted his chin up. "Truly."

The hanyou smirked. "I can feel it." She stood up and away from arms despite him reaching for her to pull the Lightning Mistress back and took off his top from her torso. She pointed to the glowing name on her chest. It shone brightly in rays of colour as if seeing a rainbow being reflected off of a light. "More than feel it. Thank you for your happiness."

Neji looked at it for a moment before allowing his eyes to drop to her stomach that seemed to bulge before him. "How did we not see this before? I know your body far too well."

"I guess it's because the possibility became too much for me not to see." Richochet shrugged. "Weasel female can hold the fertilised egg away from the uterus so they would produce in a healthier month. Though with demons I guess it's a protection thing. I was pregnant when facing Akatsuki but nothing showed."

"That was a _month to two_ ago." Neji shook his head. "The children wouldn't appear then."

"You wanna bet? I know my body and it's telling me that's what happened. Watch, tomorrow you'll see a difference from this slightly bigger than softball shaped bump and into a football."

"…I don't know those sized balls."

"How about…." Richochet tried thinking of something he would know. "Kunai to… nah that's too big…"

Kino spoke up. "Normal Kaiten compared to demon Kaiten?"

"Hmm… that's power not size more like."

Kino then responded by adding a new size comparison, picking up a piece of her fruit. "Egg to… melon?"

"That's pretty right, actually."

Neji paled, wiping the traces of tears. "No way. Not possible."

The medic shrugged. "Things happen faster when you eventually realise them. And she is small for triplets and being at an ending of first and beginning of second trimester. 'Multiple births' is also premature so she would be early birthing the kittens also."

Richochet felt faint headed. "Say _what_?"

"I'll say it better." Kino smiled. "In four months, maybe less, you'll have children. Congratulations, Richochet-dono, Neji-sama. They'll be awesome children." Kino stated in his childlike voice. "It'll be a long labour though."

She swallowed some saliva again and put a hand to her stomach where the children were. "I'll tell the other two…"

'_Oi, Gaara… Naruto…_' She sounded rather faint in voice. '_Can you hear me?_'

'Yes?'

'_Good, you're here. Naruto?_'

Obviously the blonde was sleeping. '_Wa…Wazzup?_'

'_I have news to tell you both._'

'What is it Richochet? I have a feeling this is important.'

'_Really? Actually, yeah. I feel your surprise._'

'_You're gonna be blown away by this._'

'_What? What?!_'

'_I'm going to be having three children. I'm pregnant. I have been for a month or so._'

Gaara reacted first, pleased for them. 'My god… Congratulations, Richochet, Neji.' He said softly, happy for them. 'That's amazing.'

Naruto took a little while longer. '_…Y-Y-Y-You're pr-pr-pregnant?! WICKED COOL! I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!_' Naruto was crazed with happiness. '_You will be a MUMMY! AND NEJI A DADDY! UWEEHEE!!_' Naruto was jumping on his bed.

'_I didn't think it possible, but he seems happier than I am._' Neji muttered in disgust, standing up to hold her against his chest and actually try to see if he could sense her pregnancy, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent at his collarbone, tiptoeing to reach enough even when he bent over for her.

Four heart beats pounded against his senses healthily, hungry for attention. "My Oath… I've created some children with you."

"Yeah, we're parents… we'll be good parents right?"

"Of course."

"The good side to this is that sex will be particularly enjoyable in this stage."

Richochet blinked and then grabbed Neji's hand much to his amusement. "Why didn't you say so before? Jeeze! These kittens are growing too quickly! Who knows when we can go again after a couple months and after the birth?"

Neji put his head to his hand, slightly shamed. "Why are you telling a child this?"

"Oh, he's fine! We travelled with Jiraiya, remember?"

"I don't think I want to." Neji mumbled as she dragged him to the bedroom.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Sasuke growled as they set up camp some miles away in a forest between the borders of Suna and Konoha. "Mizu never told me she was such a little bitch." 

Suigetsu stared up at him blankly before looking away. "She seems… too strong. And she had my blades too! How am I going to get them now? And when are you going to get that Uchiha cousin a billion times removed from you from her? It's nearby impossible."

Karin snorted. "Only for idiots who lug around stupid pieces of metal!"

"You don't understand the beauty of blades like we do!"

Juugo smiled at the bird that landed on his shoulder. "I think she's nice." The other three looked at him and he shrank back. "Well, I can't help if I like a person. She makes me feel better than Sasuke does as a prison! So does that long haired man!"

The Uchiha huffed and gripped his upper arm that throbbed in pain, his headache worsening already. "Shit."

"What now?" Suigetsu asked, fiddling with his sword and buffing it up a bit with some spit and shine. "Hm?"

"We… go to Konohagakure now. Stay for a few hours to speak with Naruto and then immediately come back here so I damn well don't die before I kill Itachi. Move out!"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet woke up with her back aching as tendons expanded to keep the child and the mothers balance in check. "Ah fuck." She moved forward but was trapped by Neji's body half on top of her. She groaned and then looked at her belly to see the progress and nearly felt like screaming. "I ate a football!" 

Her stomach definitely had gotten bigger. It was like she was half way through her pregnancy with one child instead of seven or so weeks with three demon child. She smirked. "Demon spawn indeed."

'_That's not nice to call our children._' Neji woke up slowly and seeing as his head was on her breasts, he gawped at her belly easily without even moving. "No way…"

"I ate a fucking ball as I sleep-walked." Richochet whimpered. "That is the only thing I can think of."

Neji sat up and stared at her stomach, reaching out a disbelieving hand to touch the stomach. "This is unbelievable. It's… I think we may have to hide you. People barely saw you as pregnant before." He teased, smirking at her. "Your breasts have gotten bigger."

"No shit. They ache." She moaned, sitting up and hugging her bloated stomach to her, ignoring her aches and pains. "Being pregnant is amazing but tiring. I can feel them in me, hearts beating, breathing, shifting against the lights that come into the womb from the stomach. I wish you could feel this."

"Happy?"

"Fucking bemused. What the hell kind of parent will I make?" Richochet smirked to herself, running a finger down her stomach. "Still. It will be nice to have them. Do you think they'll like me?"

"You're their mother."

"..I don't understand your reasoning."

Neji shifted and sat next to her, placing a hand over hers that was resting on her stomach. "Usually, children always go to their mother. You've heard the men you kill sometimes yelling for their mothers? That's a sign of closeness to mother as a child since children always go to mothers for comfort."

Richochet listened quietly. "Oh. I could have guessed that, but it never really struck out at me much…"

"You didn't have a mother figure. You were the mother figure more than sister in the relationship with Shoko." The Hyuuga spoke softly. "And don't even think of saying 'will I kill my children like I killed Shoko.' That's something different altogether."

She stared at her stomach. Deciding it would be better not to let the children feel her crazy feeling she stood up and stared down at her naked partner apart from the ring that was similar to her on her own finger. She smiled at him happily, making sure he saw her feelings in her eyes and he smiled back. She put the left hand out and he took it, hefting himself up.

Neji stood up properly and kissed the back of her hand. "Let's take a shower."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"What do you mean, you're the fake Shoko?" 

"Simple. I was there because Richochet imagined me up one day. Her Grandfather took advantage of that and made a girl into a copy, contacts, hair dye, facial reconstruction… One of the reasons she's always despised me was because I look like her Shoko. Simple."

"Unbelievable."

"Then I was 'killed off' so to speak."

"Who killed you?"

"Richochet pushed me into suicide. Jumping off a building."

"I don't quite-"

"I was a civilian then. I had to be."

"_You_ are still alive."

"Am I?"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

The Kaguya widened his eyes, hand holding some lightly burnt toast, as she strolled into the room, once again in Neji's Hyuuga top but also sporting a pair of black shorts and some sandals, looking fine and not in the least disturbed despite the obvious growth of child. 

Neji entered moments after, dressed in his Anbu clothing once more and followed her moving body with his intrigued silvery eyes and turned to Kino, nodding to him. "Kino, how are you today?" The Seishou male gave a half smile, looking fresh and clean.

"I'm… good…" The medic didn't even look at Neji. "Whoa…" Kino mumbled, staring at her stomach. "You grew sideways instead of up. I don't think you'll ever go up, you know." Kino dodged the lazily thrown kunai.

Richochet scoffed and collected her kunai in the air as he threw it back at her. "Cheeky little sod."

"Well, I am you."

"Is Genkaku the nice half then? Cause we ain't that nice." She asked sarcastically, sitting on the comfy sofa and stared down at it, feeling its' extra softness. "Is this sofa new?"

"Probably, I mean it is Uchiha Kyo who is Genkaku and all."

She tutted, narrowing her eyes and grumbled under her breath, leaning back into the sofa. "Great. An Uchiha is me." She ran a hand up and down the sofa's arm. "Is this new?"

"No."

"You sure?" Richochet asked. "Do you know how nice it feels?"

Neji shook his head at Kino as he felt it himself. "…It's not new, but it is softer."

"Weasels are creatures who use sense, right?" The medic spoke up, swallowing some of the toast he was eating. "So it's your pregnancy. Since Neji is the father of those children, and I definitely know he is with the gender slash number of children jutsu that shows to the parents together and one can't see anything without the other, he feels what you do."

"Smart kid." Richochet declared to Neji who sank into the sofa next to her, elbows on knees. She collapsed onto his side, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Warm."

Neji stared back at her as she drifted her eyes shut. "Kino, any suggestions for what to do with pregnancy?"

"Diet of more nutrition needed than others at different stages. And with triplets…" Kino whistled. "Not many of them around."

Richochet jeered at that, smirking to herself. "If I was a full demon I'd be having six or seven. I'm damn well lucky to be hanyou else wise I'd be roaming around in my bestial form. Wouldn't Suna get a thrill from that? I could just imagine that happening. Ah! Attack of the killer pregnant weasel! Uwaah!" She burst out laughing for a minute exactly and then hiccupped. She sighed. "I'm still sleepy. Thank god it's Saturday today."

Neji and Kino stared at her.

"Mood swing?" Neji asked Kino, staring at his wife worriedly, fearing for his life.

"…Hopefully. Be glad it's not a murderous one."

"I'm going to see Gaara." Richochet suddenly stood up and hurried out of the room.

Neji and Kino stared at her in a stunned moment before running after the quickly disappearing woman. "Slow down before you hurt yourself!" They yelled to her, completely frazzled at her lack of caring for her own pregnancy.

Richochet rolled her eyes, grabbing the scroll holder on her thigh without taking it off. "I've got plenty of protection. You worry too much, you silly boys."

"You don't worry enough." Neji stated and then frowned at her sternly. "Worry more."

"Okay! I'm worrying!" Richochet said sarcastically, opening the door and walking down the corridor, letting them catch up, fussing with the door before jogging to catch up with her. "Watch me worry!"

Neji growled in the back of his throat. '_Richochet, stop this. Come here._'

Richochet appeared on his back, piggy back style, larger belly pressing against his back. "Your family is here." She felt him quickly grip her lower thighs, thumbs on top of her knees. "It's okay, Seishou Neji. We're just going for an outing. I'm jesting, is all."

"Not much of a joke to me!" The hanyou male stated to her loudly. "Don't do that!" She felt her happiness fade and anger ignite, blood rushing in her veins and he immediately sensed the change, soothing her down with a kiss to her neck. "You make _me_ worry instead."

Neji prayed to the Higher Beings to give him strength and patience.

Richochet calmed down from her state. "What the hell…? I'm not like this. Bipolar isn't my thing."

"It's every woman's thing during pregnancy." Neji said and laugh at her irritation as they went to the Hokage building that Gaara seemed to live at instead of his actual home.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"…" 

The red and black streaked haired male just stared at the stomach blankly.

"…"

She, tired of his staring at her stomach, dropped the top but Gaara's sand caught it and opened it back up again absently.

Neji tensed and felt lightning build in his stiffened muscles and growled loudly and snapped out of his protective rage, pushing his beast back, knocking the sand demon out of his own stupor.

"How? Well, I know _how_ of course, but _how_?" The sand demon asked in confusion and sat behind his desk. "This is… Too fast. This child, sorry, children, must be at least three months – _each._"

Kino nodded, the medic out of them. "Mhmm. Demon and his mate. The seed and egg are especially potent."

"Hearing an eight year old say that is disturbing." Gaara spoke, giving the boy an odd look.

"Adults. Tch."

The other three stared at him.

"Blame the pregnant lady, people. Blaaame the pregnant lady."

"Oh my God..." Richochet snickered. "You _really_ are me."

Kino hugged her happily.

"_Please_ no. I only want this one." Neji chuckled and ducked the kunai. "You seem to like throwing things at people who irritate you."

"Whatever. Gaara and Naruto will be Godparents." Richochet decided, staring out the window. "Anyone you want to be a Godmother or father, Neji?"

Not expecting the question, but giving it some thought, he finally spoke up. "Tenten and Lee. I trust them enough. And Hinata."

"And Deidara!" Kino whistled. "Let's give them a message, hmm?" The dove flew in straight away and Kino started writing on the paper with the ink and brush Gaara handed him silently. "How should I right this, Chet-dono? My Lady Richochet-dono got 'knocked up' be the Godparents or else? Sounds like you, right?"

"I have more eloquence than _that_ rubbish!" Richochet smacked him upside the head. Then she grabbed a shoulder and put a finger up. "That type of slang is for when I goad idiot bandits and am extremely ill or surprised. Got it _memorized_?"

* * *

(( Editor: Oooooh… Axel reference!! Yay!!)) 

R: Axel Love! We love Axel.

Fact.

* * *

"Memorization complete!" 

"Good kitty."

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* * *

Whaddup, peeps? My back aches, working in the bakery section of a market smells nice and gives me cakes about to go out of date is heaven on this slab of rock I call an island named England. :D. Love the bakery smell. So homely.

Ten words.

Screw Him. Two. Pride. Sand Nin. Looking lost. Poison. Hibernating.

Ja ne!

* * *

**R.**

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	39. Chapter XXXIX

Hello. Yup. About damn time, right? Yeah well, still sorting my life out here and stuff. Just life problems and stuff.

Also, apologies, but this will be on Hiatus for a while. No two year never update deal cause that just sucks, but still a while when I will finish (yes, _finish, _my god) this story.

**_Hearts and love to..._**

_Suna-Angel - Hibiki-chan - SilverMononoke - Miorochi - Zero Asakura - Win-chun90 - -Asa-Hoshi- - Arisa Chikamatsu - Emerald Lady - Depressing Truths - Joster13 - Blood Zephyr - Sanya12 - KyuubiJinchuuriki (x4. ch.24 + ch.31 +ch.32 + ch.38) - Mizuki - Neko of Light._

I promise that I WILL reply to your reviews this time.

Another also, this will be mushy. Yes, beta pointed it out but a friend who read this and is quite close pointed out that love was needed for those who didn't want the lemon in this. Uncut, yes I remember it, is currently writing itself up. And to Beta, thank you for being Beta. Hopefully there are no mistakes, as we are human.

My excuse? Oh, c'mon! They're NEWLY WEDS!

This is a long'un. The longest I've ever written, in fact! Over 10-k words apparently. Have fun reading.

**

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Chapter Thirty Nine

* * *

Naruto glared at Sasuke. "You're staying in Konohagakure."

"I need to get that poison out of me." Sasuke said in a demanding tone, hiding his pain. "And I need to immediately."

Naruto clenched his fist and sighed, looking away. "I know what poison that is. I've been poisoned accidentally too. I'd love to see your face when you realize what that means she'll have to do to heal you."

"What? Screw him?" Suigetsu said, wiggling his eyebrows at Karin, who steamed and tried to attack him, being held back by Juugo. "What? He never said, did he?"

"No! Nothing like that vulgarity!" Naruto denied immediately, protective of his friend. "She's bloody married to Neji! There's no way she'd cheat on him! She doesn't even know the word divorce! And I want to keep it that way!"

"She doesn't know the word 'divorce'? What the hell?"

Sasuke cut in, gritting his teeth. "The antidote. What is it?"

"Saliva and water." Naruto smirked. "Only hers can heal you. You'll be lucky if she actually heals you though. She doesn't heal anyone but about… six or seven people tops. Everyone can die for all she cares. And you'll be one of them. Haha!" Naruto laughed in amusement at his blanched face. "I'm kidding; she may do it for me. I've been training to get you back."

Sasuke stared at him blankly before just ignoring him. "Let's go. We did our side. If she doesn't heal me we'll deal with her and the Hyuuga in a most final way."

Naruto stilled. He didn't want Richochet or Neji dead, let alone the budding family they had. Neither did he want Sasuke dead. But Sasuke's chances of Richochet healing him were so bad it was in the minus numbers. Sasuke had nothing that would appeal to Richochet if he wanted to bribe her into it.

He looked away.

"**Don't. You even try and I'll never be on your side again.**" Naruto threatened, wondering if this was it for them. For their rivalry, and their friendship. Forever. "_**Ever.**_"

Suigetsu burst out laughing and Karin chortled in a nasally way. "Oh, how cute!"

Naruto didn't see what was so funny. "You don't want the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki as a true enemy."

Suigetsu stopped laughing. "You? The Nine Tails host? The demon boy? Jinchuuriki?"

The blonde growled, looking at them all furiously, his energy level rising dangerously.

"So, what of it?"

Sasuke looked back at him. "I don't care. Go ahead. Be an enemy. Let's go."

As they disappeared Naruto collapsed to the ground painfully with a loud thud.

And wept for his first true friend.

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* * *

Gaara stared down at his paper work, eyes blurring out into thought, though his ears, nose and other senses were still sharp as anything, waiting and listening.

He heard echoes of things.

Sounds.

Voices.

Laughter.

And it was anywhere around him.

It was in his own mind, like it was once with Shukaku, that bastard.

He couldn't stop it.

And the other three hanyou didn't hear it.

It seemed reserved for him only.

'_Nearly time is it?_' A feminine voice echoed in his head. '_Good… Good. Come to me, love._'

'Silence immediately.'

The voice laughed before disappearing.

Gaara put his head in his hands, gripping his hair tight enough to rip it out if he so chose to.

'What is going on with me?'

He took in a deep breath, focusing himself on what he had to do. Checking the papers and reports. He grimaced. What idiot needs ninja to do their chores? How degrading for his ninja. Still Genin had to learn teamwork… or something along those lines. So, carrying on, he put the accepted stamp of approval on them all.

Shoving those to the side, he then caught a stray piece and gave it a quick check over before double checking it in confusion. "Since when did I send two sets of Anbu out to Kiri and approve it? And if so… Why hasn't that Kage told me so?"

Gaara took a piece of paper and wrote a letter to the Mizukage, sealing it with his stamp afterwards.

"What's going on with everyone?"

* * *

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* * *

Rakuin stared, absolutely confused, at the piece of paper he'd just received. "Since when were there any Sand Anbu ninja in Kiri?" He asked himself putting a hand to his temple and massaging it. "I'd have at least received some message of their arrival…"

"Maybe Gaara-sama is loosing his edge?" Nye shrugged, sipping on his green tea and then making a face at it but sipped again, doing the same face.

"Of course not, Nye."

"Well, I dunno then." He sipped again and made a face before repeating it over again.

Rakuin sighed and put the paper down, watching the slightly younger male with a twitch in his brow. "It's just that - Why are you drinking that if you don't like it?!"

Nye spluttered in shock at his Mizukage, spilling the tea down his dark blue button down shirt. "What the heck Rakuin-sama?" He took the shirt off quickly, showing off the black netted vest underneath. "Jeeze…"

"I'm in a sort of crises here! People are leaving for Lord Toko's lands for their own safety, leaving our economy to go down, not to mention I won't be Mizukage if there aren't any people to _protect_ and you're doing that idiotic face-!!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Nye held up his hands defensively. "I understand it's important and that your stressed but calm down. You've been doing this for three years with me helping you. We'll get through it better with a cool head, like you usually do." He said in annoyance. "What's up, man?" He lifted a smoky eyebrow in confusion. "You're not normally like this. Irritable and such."

Rakuin sighed again, obviously not wanting to answer as he looked away with a grimace. "I don't damn well know."

'_I do, little prince._' Mana said happily. '_He's back for now, gathering fools for me to charm. And as a Seduction Demon I can do so veeery easily, charming the little idiots to bear children that will follow only me._'

Rakuin felt his heart thump and miss a beat in his shock. "Nye, get me the report for the amount of pregnant woman this month from the main hospital in Kiri. Immediately."

Nye blanched at the suddenness and randomness and then frowned in confusion but, nodded, taking his soaked top and nearly empty drink with him.

'_It'll only prove what I've been telling you._'

'But you're a woman. How can you get them to follow you when you're the 'earth body' needed to grow the children? They'll be regular humans.'

'_Not when I've had my way with the men. They'll, speaking of the men I charm here not the children, will be part demon. An Incubus. And as incubus they'll use their wanton and seductive charm and ta-dah! Little me's._' She smiled in her mind, finally revealing her plan to him. '_And as a Succubus it's very easy for me. An army of demons, for me to control, with your brother._'

'Wretched bitch.'

Mana turned vile. '_How dare you?! I give you power and you insult me?!_'

'I did my part of the deal by bringing you here and letting you live in me and now it's over.' Rakuin sneered at his desk. 'SHUT THE HELL UP!'

'_You fucking _rotten_ scoundrel… Damnable scumbag!_' She screeched and disappeared from his head for the time being. '_HEATHEN!!_'

Why would she want to do this?

Rakuin unknowingly copied Gaara's motions of holding his head in his hands. "What the hell is going on?"

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

Richochet looked up, thinking she'd heard something far but near, if anyone could understand that. The village she was in was the one with Kyo. Genkaku himself. And she was doing some training with throwing weapons.

Her husband wouldn't let her do anything too heavy, even if she was only a month and a half to two along.

No huge jutsu's.

No killing bandits.

No strenuous activities.

Neji had become far too overprotective and controlling. And she felt like she was about to explode from sheer boredom of nothingness. She was a doer not doing and had way too much pent up energy.

She scowled, plucking at the baggy top borrowed from Neji once again, Hyuuga style written all over it. "This is so boring. How am I gonna keep in shape, huh? Sure, I should put on weight… but I want to be active, damnit!" She glared down at her clothing. "And this clothing is so boring too. I need to get that male to wear colours more. Anything of his with his energy in, I can see in bloody colour so where good colours not plain ones!" She complained loudly to the sky.

The Lightning Mistress groaned and held her stomach, she'd stuffed herself earlier that day for reasons she couldn't even begin to reason with and had so many different types of food into her system she was absolutely bursting with energy to last for months. Even with her kittens in the stomach.

Richochet looked away, feeling several auras warm into her. Her other half was around the village and the village lands, not too far from her, scouting for any trouble. Her Genjutsu counterpart was coming to her for assistance, leaving the other village children studying peacefully in her kitchen.

She couldn't believe she'd become a fucking teacher of all things.

A teacher!

She had inwardly laughed at the other idiots who wanted to be one when in school back in Japan and was one herself. Tch.

Genkaku walked into the training area, frowning in confusion. "I don't understand this, nee-chan! The Genjutsu technique says I have to concentrate on clearing my mind at the same time as doing the technique so I can make people think they're doing something else while really under my command…" He gave a hella cute confused stare at her that was absolutely adorable. "But… but how do I clear my mind without thinking of the jutsu?!"

Richochet smirked at the boy. "Think of it this way. Can you breathe?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you think about breathing?"

"No…"

"Do you think about moving your arm when you want to reach for something?"

"Nope. So I have to do it without realizing it?"

"Yeah, sure. Sounds that way to me." Richochet shrugged, not entirely sure as to what to do with the Genjutsu herself. "It would be better if Naruto was here though. He'd be able to do it for you, the smug arse."

"Yeah…" Genkaku grinned at her. While Kino was her calmer half, Kyo was the up and at 'em type that Naruto was. "He's really good at this, isn't he?"

"Admittedly, yes. Though I loathe to say so."

Genkaku nodded in happiness. "I like him too!"

"…You've never met him."

"So? He sounds awesome. If you keep talking about him, then he's something." The boy grinned cheekily.

Richochet grunted in reply, scowling at the side. "I'm that easy to read?"

"Only because I am you." His cheeky smile turned soft. "You are much loved by the ones closest to you, you know. You may be a cold-blooded killer, uncaring, sarcastic and all around cruel, but you have a nice side. Every colour has a light and dark shade. Your's is just seriously shaded darkly and probably always will be. Though, hints here and there can be startlingly bright glowing white concerning some parties."

Her mind immediately switched to Neji's image on their wedding day, kissing the life out of her and crying, and it would be burned, unearthing, into her mind forever. Such emotion was the true emotions she waited for from him eagerly, patiently. Which was why demons enjoyed sex. That moment of pure of unadulterated, blissful emotion…

She felt like crying over that emotion, totally and exceptionally happy beyond compare, tears welling up.

Genkaku hugged her around the waist, comforting her. "I love seeing you happy, nee-chan."

"Thanks."

"I don't need you to say it, nee-chan! I already know!"

Richochet snapped her head up, feeling more life signatures.

'_What are you doing here?_' Neji's voice was deadly. '_And why would I let you even near her?_' He asked in still threatening manner. '_She did, didn't she? Ah well, maybe I'll let you die. After all, you didn't do much for our village. How many Akatsuki have you killed exactly? Minus your brother, of course, who you could never kill._'

Richochet snickered at his remark. "Go in Genkaku, and make sure the others don't know of your worry."

He stared up at her with onyx eyes. "What if Sasuke comes into the house while the others are there?"

"Alright, then stay. It might be better if you're here where I can see you." She said quickly and then walked over to a stump and sat down, her legs thanking her. "So stay."

Genkaku waddled over and sat on the bit of stump between her legs, hugging her stomach and waist. "Yeah. I will."

'_Silly, human._' Oooh, Neji was getting good at his cusses. Sarcasm, people. Still, she would've used such lame lines for that equally lame boy, so she shouldn't say anything. '_Stay away from those under my protection. …No, I don't care he's dying. You irritate me. Go die._'

Well damn.

Neji had become callous hadn't he?

Richochet frowned.

Had she done that to him?

'_NO! This is my demon talking to them._' Neji soothed her instantly.

'_Neji? Take them to me._' All of a sudden she felt rather guilty. Something she rarely felt. She pushed the feeling of wanting to take them to her as an emergency. He had to do it. He just had to. '_It'll be fine._'

Hesitantly, Neji did so. '_Very well, now stop it._'

Richochet smirked slightly knowing she could be a manipulative bitch with the best of them and placed her head on top of Genkaku's.

Within moments, the four appeared by jumping down the trees and into the area next to their temporary home and Neji immediately walked towards her, a tense look on his face. He gave her a 'why?' look as he went to her.

She shrugged smoothly. '_I'm not too sure myself._'

Sasuke was looking worse for wear, breathing erratically and he collapsed to the ground on one knee. The three members of Team Hebi moved to help him, but the other three did not.

"Sasuke."

The Uchiha looked to her.

"You look just about dead." Her voice was monotonous; having her own hormones wrecking havoc in her body and Naruto's emotions on her mind along with Neji's overbearing protectiveness. She was a little bit more than pissy. Flippin' hormones.

"You bitch!" Karin yelled at her. "Can't you see he's about to BE dead?"

Suigetsu and Juugo shared a look, unsure.

Sasuke glared up at her. "How did you stop the Mangekyo Sharingan?"

"The basis of any Genjutsu is fabrication. Lines of thoughts weaved together and only the most creative can use them with distinct ease and vibrancy. I merely disrupted them before they could be put together."

"No hand signs?"

"It is a bloodline limit I hold. Not to mention Jiraiya and I have nearly cracked the system between the three eyes we have. But that's neither here nor there." Richochet yawned, just to annoy them. "Let's make a deal."

They looked at her in shock.

He was literally _dying_ in front of her and she wanted a _deal_?

What kind of person were they dealing with here?

Richochet stared at him blankly. "Without any help or assistance in any way, if you can get here by yourself without falling, tripping over your own feet or dying, I'll heal you. From the time you start no one is allowed to move unless it's me." Her eyes were glossy signifying her being absent from there. "Deal?"

What else could he do?

"De…al…" Sasuke stood up, wobbling like crazy. He took one step and stumbled but didn't fall down. He took a breather, for a split second, glad there wasn't any timed thing on this deal. Another step, and another and he had eaten up half the way to her. He nearly tripped over, but held himself up at the last moment.

This was harder than he thought.

His cheeks tinged green and purple.

"You should hurry. Before it gets your mind next." She nodded to herself.

Sasuke eyes widened, blurred as anything and the dashed in the direction he heard her voice and followed his instincts that were screaming at him to get to her. Richochet stood up with Genkaku in her right arm and caught him before he hit the ground.

"…Preg… nant?" The Uchiha stayed still a moment and then touched her stomach.

This drew a growl from Neji's throat. "Don't _EVER_ touch _my __**wife**_ there, fan boy. Only I can do that and only I can permit males touching her. And you _**aren't**_ permitted _**in the least**_."

The sixteen year old stopped immediately; flinging his hand away and in doing so lost his grip on the woman. Catching him once more, she placed down Genkaku, ripped his sleeve off, baring the rotted skin and bursting veins.

"Such pain you must have been in. Still in." She murmured. She stared at him. "No wonder Naruto wants you to live. Give up on Itachi, you fool. Let someone stronger kill him for you." She leaned her head to the slash on his arm, ignoring the males whimper, and bit the skin off the surrounding area and spat it away.

Spitting at his wound, it immediately cleared up at the area. It didn't get that far when it stopped again. Concentrating on the healing content in her saliva, she placed her mouth over the wound and put as much saliva as she could into his wound. Her eyes planted onto the males' skin watching her poison slowly disappear.

Genkaku moved from her and ran back into the house, quickly walking back out and handing her some water. She moved away from Sasuke, drank the whole thing and gestured for him to get her some more. He went back in as she went back into her work, Neji standing guard and eyeing the other three warily.

Juugo cocked his head to the side. "She's spitting in him? Is that a type of healing too?"

Suigetsu looked to Karin and then away, smirking.

"You mean apart from a sexual healing one?"

Karin twitched and turned to him with a face that showed he would soon get a pain worse than death if he didn't shut up.

Suigetsu was punched in the face and thrown back into a tree by Neji with that one hit, and he then reappeared by Richochet's side once more, a waiting protector.

Juugo blinked, confused.

Richochet sighed in her mind, feeling rather depressed and bleak. When it registered five minutes later that Sasuke was healed and now she was really just flushing her spit into him she stop, licking her lips from the remaining poison. "Done." She took the glass from Genkaku giving a small half hearted smirk. "Appreciated."

"I know."

"As always." She whispered to herself, suddenly feeling seriously down for no reason. "Hmm…"

Genkaku stared at the dizzy Uchiha on the ground. "You're the other one? The other Uchiha Naruto keeps going on about to Chet-nee-chan. You really annoy her. I don't know why she healed you though."

"I got to her…"

Neji stiffened at the way it could be taken.

He shook his head.

This god damn beast in his mind was making him go crazy.

The things he did for his wife that was so out of character, but he guessed his feelings couldn't be stopped and she wouldn't let him stop them either.

"…And she healed me. Are you the Uchiha boy?"

Genkaku, known as Kyo to everyone else nodded. "I'm Uchiha Kyo. Look." Kyo pulsed chakra into his eyes and showed off Sharingan with two comma's in one eye and one in the other. "I've been practising with Richochet-dono."

Richochet just looked to the ground, face a marble statue in its movement.

"She has eyes too like Neji-dono. Just Kazangan, not Byakugan like Neji's eyes with both." Genkaku stated and nodded to himself.

Neji himself was staring at Richochet, though he hid his worry, unsure what to do. His wife was seriously depressed, Genkaku was spilling secrets and there were four potential threats to his family.

And he wasn't a happy bunny.

"You realise you owe me now. I saved your life." Richochet said softly, running a hand down her stomach. "With a threat of losing my unborn children with you here, I am not very pleased."

"Um, you went really big." Juugo said, asking a question. "How so quickly?"

It was Sasuke who answered. "She's a half demon. A wretched half demon who enjoyed watching me about to die." He groaned, holding his head in pain. "She still saved my life though. And for that…" He looked at her with weary black eyes. "I'll do one thing you want in return. Anything you say… I will vow to do. Uchiha Honour."

Richochet blinked slowly staring at him in boredom. Her mouth opened to tell him to go to Konoha permanently then it closed. She thought about telling him not to kill Itachi by himself and then stopped herself.

She thought deeply for a second.

The answer then came to her.

"Live without regrets for the rest of your life. Think hard about what you think others think you should and shouldn't regret, and especially what those closest to you think of that even if you aren't close to them." She put a hand to her stomach and then dropped it, looking away. "Now piss off and take your vow seriously because I'm saying what Naruto would have wanted of you and I kill for him for less."

Sasuke stood up drunkenly and caught her elbow, so she turned to him. "You know… you once told me that you would do the same as Itachi for the same reason, just for the fight, even if it was your family." He turned to look at her stomach and back up at her. "Do you regret that now?"

"…" Richochet looked up at the sky, wondering what she should answer. "I guess I regret things too. But… I don't think I could regret any emotion I had at any time. I might regret doing the thing at that moment in time, but I couldn't regret the emotion behind it because I'd be lying to myself otherwise. Never growing, never changing. Anyway, I've never really liked my own family. It was a lie."

Sasuke softened his look and let her go. "You… Make me feel stronger."

'_Oh yeah, and Higher Beings, if you're listening, you piss me off. Must I give strength to this fool?_' Richochet, still staring up at the sky, nodded at that. "So I've heard." Her head turned to the patter of feet and stared at the children there. They looked back with smiles and waved at her. She smirked back automatically and they grinned wider. "I'm just living. Go ahead and kill Itachi. You don't have the fear of killing all of your clan apart from you and being exactly like him."

"Are you forgiving me?"

"Tch. I'm pregnant with moods swinging from here to there. Don't push your luck. Any other time you would be dead."

Sasuke bowed to her lowly and looked up at her in mid bow. "May you have a prosperous life and healthy children. I understand now why… Naruto likes you so much. You grew out of your childhood pettiness to your family." He rose.

"…Think what you will." Inwardly she was laughing.

Grew out of childhood pettiness to family? Please, he didn't know she killed her mother for kidnapping her. He didn't know how much she would give to end that miserable scumbag she calls a Grandfather's life at any time. He didn't even know how much she wanted to see the back of Mizu. She just wanted it over with.

She didn't want anything to do with her past ever again.

Things had a way of haunting you, though.

So, she kept facing her past. She kept on hating her grandfather. She kept on wondering why her parents weren't there. She kept on loathing her childhood pest, Mizu. But she had made the step to turn another way. And that way had her future written all over it. Binds of the past still crawled around her legs like slimy octopus legs, suckers still sticking her to the ground mockingly, letting her barely move forward. But struggling was all part of life wasn't it?

Sasuke rose from his brow, wondering at her quietness. "I am your ally. Even if you aren't mine."

Richochet nodded, finally looking at him. "Ally of Seishou Richochet, Lightning Mistress to Lord Toko?"

"Yes. Uchiha Sasuke is at your service."

"…You can leave now." She said softly. "I will ask for your aid at an important time only. Remember that."

Sasuke nodded and turned away. "Team Hebi, move out."

They disappeared in a flash, jumping away into the trees.

Richochet walked right into Neji's chest and collapsed onto him arms wrapping around him tightly in her owning hold. "I haven't done any growing. Why did he say that so deferentially to me? I don't think I've grown at all."

Neji held her close; glad she had actually come to someone instead of landing herself in one of those destructive moods he had seen. "Listen mate, you have. This is a direct result of your depressive moods. It will move on soon and you'll be the same person I married, but with a better experience, skill, knowledge and outlook on life. Everyone improves and grows, just at different rates."

Richochet calmed herself down, taking deep breathes of his scent and permanently washing it into her again. "You're right. You always are when it comes to me. I trust you with anything and everything. And for me to say that…" She shook her head and tried to push herself even closer to him. "I don't know why I did and I feel like I have to, so I will."

"Impulsive."

"I'm a psychopath. Leave. Me. Be."

Neji pulled her hand up and cradled them in her hands. "Silly." He kissed her on he lips and then kissed away the tears. "You said '_Save them for a better person who will appreciate them even more than I_' to Kino. He told me. I appreciate you very much. I absolutely adore you. I hate to say this, but I enjoy seeing you so wrecked with emotion. You're usually so cold or arrogant that nothing but superiority leeks from you."

"And you." She argued weakly. "You're cold too. I won't be for you or our children if you don't want me too."

"I don't. I promise that too."

It seemed they still had problems with relationships if they had to keep reminding each other.

Or maybe it was a demon thing.

She closed her eyes and took one last deep inhale of his scent. "Okay, fuzzy moment over. We'll keep this for the bedroom." She stood up straight and smirked properly, hands to hips as she faced the children who were staring at her from near the kitchen door. They suddenly ran to her and started hugging her and bawling loudly, much to their startled confusion. "Wh-What…?"

"Don't cry!"

"We love you!"

"We'll beat that meanie up if he's nasty to you again and makes you cry!"

"Yeah!"

"We promise we will even if it's anyone!"

"Uh-huh!"

Richochet stared at them all and couldn't help the smirk. "Even if _I'm_ a meanie?"

"But… you're not a meanie to us so we don't care!"

"You guys are crazy!" Richochet exclaimed, looking at them with amused disbelief. "I can't believe you mean it…!"

Kyo grinned up at her. "We believe in the supernatural! So we believe in you! Because you're super, and you're natural! And we like you two demon people! It's natural for us!"

_

* * *

_

(R to Kyo: Which begs the question, 'What is supernatural to you if demons are something normal?' Vamps or somethin'?) ((Note: XD Kyo's just cool like that! .))

* * *

Richochet shook her head, letting them hug her to death. "Okay then guys, to that, I got some words for you." She noted them all watch her and she let her pride go and smiled at them all kindly. Well, as kindly as she could get. The smirk wouldn't be gotten rid off. "I was told two simple lines. Fight great, love great. Know who you come home to, and who you wait to come home for."

They frowned in confusion but nodded anyway. "Okay! We will!"

She nodded in triumph. "Good. Now let go of me. I'm hungry."

Neji waded through the large amount of children, grabbed his wife and pulled her out through the throng of laughing and rambling crazy children. "Sometimes, you seriously surprise me."

"I thought Naruto was the number one-"

"You come in at two then." He cut her off smartly. "Now, you are going to come in and eat and then sleep. You get bigger by the second I look at you." He laughed at her indignant look, glaring at him. "Children, go home and come back tomorrow, your things will still be in the same place."

Richochet nudged his stomach. "Hey, you're the one who impregnated me. Don't be complaining now." She warned as they went into the kitchen, smirking as they went in.

The Seishou male scoffed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, the opposite hand on her stomach. "I like seeing you with my children in you. I've always wanted a family."

"Always wanted to be a dad? Crazy fool. Watch when you have to wake up at three in the morning for feeding them bottles of milk. You're an odd mate. Though I'm more than thrilled you're mine, slave boy. Chop, chop! I'd like some deer, if you please."

Neji made a face as he pulled out a chair and pushed her into it. "That's right. I forgot about that little point." He sighed and then hugged her around the shoulders, one hand drifting to her enlarged stomach again. They stilled as they felt a kick and stared down at her stomach. "…She kicked." Neji stated in awe, eyes brightening. "We felt her first kick."

"That's… whoa…"

"_Why_ would it be right that it was one of the _females_ and not the _male_?"

The Seishou female rolled her eyes and swatted his chest. "Oi, cheeky." She poked his nose. "The boy will be a mama's boy, I bet. Right lad?" They blinked as they felt the small tappings. "Know that we three girls won't take shit from anyone and _be proud_." Richochet huffed as he took her finger from his nose and kissed it, sending tingles down her spine. "That's unfair tactics."

"Hmm?" He looked down at her, connecting their eyes.

"Using my emotions against me." She smirked and burst out laughing at his twitching 'you-did-not-just-say-that' look. "Oh, but it's fair you get controlled over via emotions if I have no control over my actions with you."

"Tch. Whatever." Neji retorted, kissing her senseless, her mind fuzzing over delightfully before moving away and getting her some dinner from their fridge, enjoying being able to look after her. He looked over his shoulder to see her tapping some rhythms on her filled womb and smiling when she felt the taps back. He glowed inside to see it. He, personally, thought she'd be a brilliant mother, even if she thought she wasn't that good at much else but fighting and mocking.

"Hey Neji. Our children are seriously smart."

"Be proud." He mocked her.

"You're damn right I am."

"Because you're just that good?"

"Of course." She purred out making him chuckle. "I know I'm not that big now but… How big do you think I'm going to get to?"

Neji looked away from his cooking and stared at her. "Very. Triplets are a lot of work." He said wistfully, looking at her stomach. "I want them to be here now."

"You really can't wait for them to be here?"

"No. The thought of being a father blows me away."

"Well, you're gonna have to wait, aren't you?" Richochet said smartly and snickered at his grimacing pout. "Aw, how cute. You know you're going to have to wait, so patience, husband of mine. I'm the one carrying these kittens."

Neji scoffed and tossed some vegetable into the wok and Richochet got up silently to watch him, leaning against the counter. "Heh. Bok choi. You cook well, mate, but you can't beat Hinata." Then her nose twitched. "Still, it's getting there."

"Any good mate would do something as simple as cook for their mate when they're with children." He turned to her with a brow raised, stirring the vegetable with chopsticks. "I have to protect you and give you whatever you want. That's my duty and my need. I can't help it."

Richochet wasn't too comfortable by what he was speaking but it hit her hard. "You really are like me now." She stated, staring at him in something akin to awe.

"Are you slow?" He mocked one of their earlier arguments and she smirked back at him.

"Neji…" She leaned forward, looking up at him demurely, making him feel intoxicated by her presence with a single thought.

He couldn't help but lean down, enchanted. "Yes?"

"…The vegetables are burning."

He blinked, snapping out of it. "What?"

"The vegetables, love. The vegetables!"

Neji spun his head to see the somewhat blackened vegetable. "Damn it! You little vixen!"

"That would be Hinata in a little while, mate."

The Byakugan user smirked at that and then lifted up the wok, putting it to the side and away from them both as the scent of slightly burnt food hit their noses. He paused and then snapped his head towards hers. "You just called me…"

Richochet cocked her head to the side, staring into his longing silvery eyes and then read his mind. Her eyes widened, the colour of lava glowing even stronger than ever. She looked away and out of the window above the cooker. "I just… I guess I…" Looking a little lost, the lightning hanyou stared at him.

Neji leaned into her once more, his hair making a curtain around them so she would only she his questioning face. "Richochet?" He couldn't help but whisper her name. "Go on."

"Since I'm on a role..." Richochet placed her hands on his cheeks in a feather light touch. "You really do make me want love, you know. I want to cry every single time that you look at me in every single way." She said very softly, almost inaudibly. "To me you are the absolute perfection I would want in a man for my mate. I'm made trembling by these emotions." She actually did tremble and her eyes wept red blood tears, spilling over her cheeks. "They're too strong. You make me everything. You're more than just my tree. You're… I want to devour you, to keep you in me always. I have to have you. I would kill the whole world if you weren't there anymore and you know I speak the truth. I'd officially do anything to get you back if something took you away from me. Anything. I would even…"

She left off her words but they were in his mind to read.

'…_Kill these children._'

And read he did.

Neji ducked his head, so she couldn't see his face.

"I just…" Ricochet trailed off and moved away, seeing his actions as defensive against her as she tried keeping the bay of rejection in her. "I'm going to hibernate." She bit her thumb, grabbed Neji's hand with the small tattoo of his garnet gift and summoned it out. She took it with her as she went to their bedroom hurriedly.

Neji immediately followed her in worry. "What do you mean 'hibernate'?" He demanded, gripping her elbows from behind but she pulled out of his hold and continued on.

Richochet walked in and sat down in the middle of her fur.

Neji dropped in front of her, on hands and knees, looking worried and stressed out. "Please, mate. Tell me. Why are you acting like this? I just want to know."

"I have to."

"You have to _WHAT_??" Neji then whistled sharply, and three weasels jumped in from what seemed like no where and bowed but he didn't care. He pointed at her. "What is she doing?!"

They turned to the pregnant woman and then bowed lowly to her also. "Hibernating, Lord. If you want, you may join her in her sleep. The only protection will be an impenetrable barrier to all but demons, seeing as it is a demon barrier." They chirped. "I bet she even ate the whole pantry out."

Richochet nodded and starting growling in different tones, the garnet ball lighting up with chakra. '_I need to sleep. Do not be offended… love. You need time. I give it to you. Join me if you want._' Her growls turned into yelps and whines. '_I will be sleeping until they want out._'

"How will they grow?"

'_Chakra, my blood and energy to give different nutrients in my body._' Richochet realised why she had eaten so much earlier.

"Listen Neji. Go now and eat everything you need for the next few months." Richochet stated, pumping some lightning into the ball, the whole room glowing up with the static electric. "And make it quick."

"I will be joining you. Let me make preparations." He turned to the weasels and pointed at a red coloured one. "Bring me some papers and pen." He pointed to the yellow one. "Bring in some clothing and towels." He looked to the orange one. "Restock the fridge and keep everything fresh and edible for us."

The three weasels left quickly.

He heard a squeak and quickly wrote up a note for the children to let them know what was happening. In fact, it was only the children of the village who knew they were hanyou. He handed it to the weasel. "Stick it on the front door."

'_Naruto, Gaara._' Neji called, getting an immediate response.

'_**Wow, it's odd you would contact me, Neji-eji**__!_'

'Yes?'

'_We'll be… hibernating… for three months._' He said with a pause. '_Try to keep us literally unknown and off the face of the earth. I need to keep her protected._'

'Me_, protected?_' Richochet huffed in her mind to them. '_Whatever. Naruto, make sure to get Hinata by the time I'm out here. Gaara just as importantly, keep the lines up well. And find yourself someone, too. Make sure to stay near each other for control because I'm not around as much. And Naruto, Sasuke is my ally now._'

'_**WHAAAT?!**_'

'_What indeed. He decreed it himself. Naruto, make sure to go on a mission around this time and take a detour to here._'

'I will send someone.'

'_Thank you._' Neji expressed his gratitude.

'_Gaara will be busy a lot, Naruto, so make sure you keep checking my lines and gathering information too. You're smart enough to do that at least. And I trust you, as the Lord Toko's Third, The Fire Master, to be able to do that?_'

'_**Will do, dattebayo, anything you say Lady Toko! Or should I say Lord Toko, Neji?**_'

The male Seishou rolled his eyes and then smirked. '_Be good without us…' _

'…_If you _can_._' Richochet finished with a smug laugh. '_See you soon._'

'_**Goooooodnight! And make sure those babies are healthy!**_'

'_Of course._'

'Rest well.'

'_Never fear._'

"Neji." Richochet closed her eyes. "I meant everything I said. Even if I am… me." She finished. "I know I'm not a good person. In fact, I'm horrendously malevolent… twisted and cruel. And I do enjoy it. I honestly do. But I am yours to do with as you will. You are first, not anyone else."

"Hmm..." Neji looked away, pained at the thought of her throwing away, it could be said, those unborn children and just for him. "I understand. Please wait for me. I will be a couple hours."

"Anything." She whispered as he got up and went out to eat. She wiped her blood tears trails from her face with the back of her hands, licking it off after with a saddened look. "I am yours for you to use." She carried on with her growls and whines to the red ball, prompting it to glow warmly in return.

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

"You are ready?" Richochet questioned monotonously, a shiver gong down her back as she remembered her earlier soul baring and her words. It was true. Every word she had spoken to him was true. It was just so deep. She was so obsessed. She wouldn't let him go – even if it were to save the damned world.

She couldn't.

When these irritating love songs sang about the other half being the air they breathed? That wasn't even the half of it with what they had. She would be a fucking _brain-dead murdering beast of a drone_ without this man alive with her.

Literally.

Him, actually living, breathing, being with her, needing her, having her, using her, was just that necessary to her.

He was necessary to her.

Neji stared at her blankly, mind calm and filled with only her face that was in front of him. "I am yours to do with as you will." He remarked. "If you'd let me in your mind more. I don't even know how you can block some things out from me. I accept that but I don't know why I don't feel the same demon tendencies as you."

Richochet closed her eyes and nodded, holding out a hand for him to grasp. "Anything." He grasped it warmly, wondering how she stayed so small and so strong at the same time. She wrapped their connections together. "Let me show you my life within our dream of sleep." Her eyes snapped open, whirring red Kazangan alive eyes staring at him.

He merely copied, showing his double eyes, red as hers were. "Show me everything."

A huge red circle beamed up from the ball and they floated in the middle of it, one hand entwined with fingers knitted together in a seamless pattern of opposites.

Richochet moved closer and grabbed the back of his head with her free hand and tapped her forehead against his. "Initiate memory sequence of Seishou 'Richochet' Toko and Seishou 'Hyuuga' Neji." Her eyes closed his face in her mind. "Begin."

* * *

"_Ne! Toko! Wake up!"_

"_I'm awake, I'm awake…" A bleary eyed six going on seven year old looked up from her half asleep state to see her twin there, a worried look on her small child face. "Shoko? What's wrong?"_

_She trembled and then curled into herself, clutching the velvet feeling summer dress of yellow to her. "I...I couldn't find you and I was so scared…!" She grasped the girl instead, burying her head into the long black hair of her sister. "And Grandpa came!"_

_Toko sat up this time. "Did he do anything to you? Like he does to those… those other kids…" She hesitated asking, knowing it was painful for her caring sister. The girl shivered in Toko's hold and she held the girl back, joining eyes and glaring at her. "Tell me Shoko!"_

"_No.. no!" She shook her head in denial and held her as tightly as she could, wrapping herself in Toko again._

_Toko was unsure, but held her tightly, not really certain as to what to do. "Shoko…"_

* * *

"She was…?!"

"I never found out. But it fuelled me to go farther than I ever could."

"Understandably."

* * *

"_Again!"_

_Richochet gritted her teeth and started the exercise again, sweat pouring off her young body as she blocked multiple attacks from several huge, burly men coming at her with powerful weapons that had squelches of blood on them. Her blood. Numerous cuts surrounded her body, but her Grandfather's lackeys didn't give a damn._

_They were just his playthings too, waiting for pay. _

_Until they died._

_Lucky bastards._

_She dodged a spiked ball with chain and ran up the said chain, taking a slice with her blades at his wrist and then neck. The neck was cut with her inexperienced slice but the wrist was easily dodged by letting go of the chain. She fell to the floor, but went into a roll. Once again she dodged a weapon but this time was a large scimitar coming right at her. _

_Her eyes widened and she rolled sideways and hacked the ankles, blood squirting out and temporarily blinding her. She saw red as blood filled her vision and she quickly wiped it away with her dark reddish orange jumper. Everything ached, especially her wrists from staying in on position with the blades, heavy as they were._

_She yelped as she was kicked and shuffled away to get away from the punch and succeeded. Moving into a handstand she kicked a male in the crutch and then jumped away to avoid the double punch from two men, looking rather scared._

"_STOP LOOKING SO PATHETIC RICHOCHET! YOU ARE A WARRIOR! BE STRONG!" Her grandfather yelled at her, stern eyes snarling at her in rage and he snapped his cane down. "DON'T LOOK AT ME! GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!"_

_Richochet whimpered to herself. '_Shoko. I'm so sorry. I have to do this once more to see you again._' She put her face into a determined grimace and went right at it with more vigour and mercilessness. She evaded the extra attack from a huge iron pipe with nails sticking out the other end, forsaking her fear. _

_She twirled around a vertical slash and stabbed the lackey in the lumber vertebrae, a sweet spot. He dropped to the ground instantly and fell to the ground, twitching._

_Ceaselessly. _

_She gutted another man and then ripped his stomach out, ducking to escape his hands and smacked the stomach in another idiotic lackeys face to blind him, stomach acid burning his sensitive eyes._

_No more fear._

"_I have no need of it anymore." She stated to herself, sticking her blades into a mans bladder and twisted, flinching at the scream of agony that welled from his chest to his throat to echo, screeching like a banshee, out of his mouth. "Goodbye me. See you sometime."_

* * *

"That's when you changed from a normal girl to a cold blooded killer, hmm?"

"I still felt the guilt. So not cold-blooded. Yet."

"Still to come?"

"You haven't seen what drove me to kill my sister."

* * *

"_Toko."_

_Shoko was smiling at her in that oh so cute way._

_Richochet was starting to despise it. _

_Why was she always so damn happy? _

_Toko smiled back at her. "Yes, Shoko?"_

"_Do you think you could stop killing soon?" Shoko looked pleadingly at her._

_The twin stilled, waiting. Her eyes gave a steady look to her. "…Why do you ask? It's not up to me if I do or not. I'm nothing but a weapon for him to use."_

"_I hate seeing you like this! This isn't you!"_

* * *

"Well, I recall saying something like that to you."

"You really do have her kindness. But you have what I'm looking for."

"I think I could guess, but do tell."

"You have acceptance. Shoko… couldn't give that. And I hated her for that. I wanted to be like her. I didn't want her around when we looked the same, when we could have been the same. Why was I chosen to be a heartless murderer? Why couldn't I be as kind as her? Why did she have to be so _lucky_?"

"You are Seishou 'Toko' Richochet. This is you. You can be whatever you want to be. I believe I understand your thinking."

"You're in my memories and can _feel_ me. I'd be worried if you couldn't."

"Your sarcasm is, I note… fragile, almost."

"Huh?"

"Were you always so breakable, my Toko?"

* * *

"_Don't you DARE touch her!"_

_Shoko sobbed in a corner. "I don't want to… I don't want to…"_

_Richochet snarled and sliced the mans hands off, ignoring the screaming shriek of pain. "You pathetic, abysmal little shit! You fucking little cunt! HOW DARE YOU?! YOU MAKE ME SICK!"_

"_Stop it… please stop it… Toko… You sound like him…"_

_Toko looked away from her kill that kept twitching to stare with dread at Shoko. She slowly went to the girl, miserable._

"_Shoko…" Shoko immediately attached herself to her. "Why am I never there when you need me?"_

* * *

"You really did love her, didn't you?"

"Love… why people talk so lightly of it is beyond me. I don't know what I feel. I don't really care."

"…That hurts me."

"What? How? Do you want love?"

"Can I have it from you, ever?"

"I'll give you anything. Stop making me feel like I have to say these things. Can I not just show you with my self?"

_

* * *

_

Richochet scrambled through the shelves of her Grandfather's office. "Come on… Come on… Who are you?" At that moment Richochet was scouring the places for any hidden letters or things that could provide some form of identity for her.

_She was a Seishou, for sure. She'd found blood tests to prove she was one as a young child that that vindictive old man made her go through just to make sure she was. She'd forgotten about it until she found them not moments ago, stuffed into a back pocket of her very old black shorts. That wasn't what she wanted though. _

_It was something else she was looking for._

"_Who the hell is my father?" She snapped to herself, straightening up the shelves of books, knowing he sometimes kept special papers in them and hadn't found anything like that in these. She smacked a hand against the bookcase holding the rare books and spluttered as a huge dust cloud fell to the floor and over her face._

* * *

"Nice one, _genius_."

"Sod off."

* * *

"_Crap!" She coughed loudly and glared down at the stuff and yelp as something smacked her. She glared down the file and swiped it up, scowling at it up deeper. "What are you about?"_

_She read the top of the file and raised a brow. "Experiment two point oh." She flicked the manila folder open. "Who on earth is that?" She took a closer look._

* * *

"Talking to yourself?"

"Well, no, I'm talking to the invisible man. _Genius._ Stop interrupting my memory! And… this is _kind_ of _important_."

_

* * *

_

The picture was of a small beaming girl with long hair in the colour of-

* * *

"Jesus FUCKING Christ! That's not possible! She looks like Mizu! Wait, wait, wait! …IT IS MIZU!"

"…That's _Mizu_ as a child?!"

"What the hell is going on?! Why… Why haven't I ever remembered this?"

"…Sometimes people forget what they want to forget, putting a block up in the mind."

"…Maybe. I don't know. I… think I forgot everything but the sheer anger I held to my family. Even at that age."

_

* * *

_

-Blue with bright neon green eyes. Richochet frowned. "Chikoto Mizu… Plastic Surgery? First attempt, any value needed will be given…" She looked closer and turned the page. "Turning the subject into the copy…"

_Toko swallowed her saliva and dropped the manila folder, staring at her hands. "She's not... She's not my real sister? She… faked it this whole time? How could she… how could she?!" Her hands trembled in rage as her face twisted into fury and she snarled at the manila folder on the floor that had dropped something out of it._

_Picking it up, she unfolded the piece of yellowed paper, several years old._

_To, Vincent Seishou._

_It's time to get that girl back to normal and if she thinks she has a damn twin, we've given her one._

_How far have the experiments gone on her? There must be a reason why Richochet is supernaturally strong. Has she realised why she become sick so much? After all, the experiments of different poisons and solutions we created must have had some impression on her mind as to the connecting of her illnesses and the experiments?_

_Or is she still that brainwashed by you? Heh heh._

_So far, the twin has worked specifically to what Richochet wants, correct? After all, Mizu is just some pitiful little girl, some tool we used after her parents gave her away to pay off some bills. A little toy for the warrior to use and throw away if she doesn't want her anymore._

_How is her training? Is she still scarily quick?_

_Send back some good news,_

_Seishou Soubi_

_Richochet stuffed the piece into her back pockets and trudged out of the place, forgetting to put the manila folder back in its place. She ran out of the corridor and down towards her cellar, her current bedroom._

_Shoko looked up at her and smiled softly. "Toko…"_

_Richochet steamed, absolutely incensed. "Who are you? Get the hell out of my room!"_

"_Wh… What…?"_

"_GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!!"_

* * *

"How did you get so callous to that girl from being so kind?"

"I'm a selfish, conceited bitch. I didn't know how to do much else at that time. I was used merely for my unnatural talent to kill. It wasn't so bad. I didn't know anything else, so how _could_ it be bad when nothing to compare it to? My moments away from Richochet were everything to me. Being Toko was exhilarating."

"…We still call you Richochet though. Is that okay to you?"

"Being Toko may have been exhilarating, but it was a lie from my true self."

"Or was it the other way around?"

"My true self will be whatever you want it to be, Neji."

"…Saying that one side is a fake is a lie. Be both. Be whoever you want to be."

"I wish I had that wisdom that comes to you so easily back then."

"There's something I don't understand."

"Hm?"

"If you ended up hating the girl, why did you always pine for her?"

"…Tricky question. Back then she was the only good thing in my life. I never had anyone after that back in that world. Then I came to this world and everything… is different. Sure people still kill, still steal and all that shit that I do. But it was different. How? Not even I know. Maybe it was because I died."

"Did you see your life before your eyes?"

"Say what?"

"I guess not, then."

"Why would I see my life before my eyes when I die? That's stupid."

"…Whatever."

"I didn't see my life; I just felt I was a waste of talent because of not being able to kill anymore."

_

* * *

_

Shoko watched the girl from the sidelines and sighed. "I wish you would stop this."

_Richochet glared at her. "Get stuffed. I live for nothing else."_

"_You can if you want to!"_

"_What do you know about wanting to and having to apart from practically being lower than a slave to me?!" She stopped doing her exercises and turned to the girl fully. "If you want something to have I get it for you! If you need anything I give it to you! Why? Because I have to! Otherwise you'd just DIE!"_

"_But…"_

"_Just go away! Stay away from me!"_

_Shoko sniffed, tears running down her face. "I really do love you, To-"_

"_RICHOCHET! I DON'T KNOW WHO TOKO IS ANYMORE!"_

* * *

"I know that Toko is now a Lady who rules over huge plots of lands and cares for it and the people within it."

"…That's just to satisfy my instincts to have territory."

"You still do it though."

"So what? It doesn't matter. Only you and what you give me do."

"What about Naruto and Gaara and Hinata and Deidara?"

"…You come first forever, they understand. I need you more than anything."

"I don't think there is much of a life left for you if you keep saying that."

"This… what I say… it is the truth. The only thing important to a demon is a mate, I'm learning."

* * *

"_I'm sorry, okay?! I didn't mean for it to go this far!!"_

"_I'm not needed as much as you think I am, Toko."_

_Her small hand held out to her twin, Shoko, as she took another step backward, wobbling now, eyes wide in raw emotion as her voice stuttered out words to make her stop. "Is it because I fight? You know I fight because-"_

_Shoko shook her head in anger and sorrow, glaring at her, making her flinch in shame. Shoko never… ever glared at her. "That is it!! I no longer wish it to happen! I no longer wish for you to… to… UGH!! STOP!! That is it!!"_

"_**SHOKO!! YOU ARE NEEDED DAMNIT!! **_**I**_** NEED YOU!**__"_

* * *

"I saw that memory."

"How did you see that memory? Only Naruto had picked it up."

"You _thought _only Naruto picked it up. We're much stronger than you realise. I'm much stronger than you realise."

"Oh?"

"Well, I make you go weak at the knees, don't I?"

"Only you can, love."

"Again with the love. Do you love me?"

"Can I? I can get very possessive over what I 'love' even more. You saw what I was like with Shoko."

"Trust me, I can take it. Can you take my possessiveness?"

"Heh. Haven't I?"

"Excuse me? I haven't been-"

"-Not letting me workout. Not letting me get my own food. Not letting me have my independence. Not letting me out the house. What will you be like with our children, hmm? I fear for our daughters' love life."

"You like it, really. And what are you talking about? They won't have one."

"Bloody hell, but I understand. And _like_? Would you?"

"Hmph. This is only when you're pregnant and out of action."

"Aiyiyi... Just know I will try for you more than I ever did for Shoko. She may be the world… but you are my universe."

"You can say very sentimental things at times."

"It's only us in here."

"And our children."

"That's what I meant by us. Still can't believe you got me pregnant at a time this… Jeeze… What's wrong with your mind?"

"Oh shut up. You enjoyed it. And what's wrong with my mind? You sent it into orgasm land, thanks."

"Damn right I did. Ugh. Pregnancy sucks… I've been not me."

"Damn right you are."

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

**R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N**

* * *

I was just a-wonderin' something. Kino was compared to Genis from Tales of Symphonia by a cousin o' mine. Uh, would that be right do you think? I've never exactly played Tales of Symphonia... so, help?

What would your opinions on all the OC's in my P.I. collection be and who would you compare their likeness too?

Anyway, I'll be re-reading Shippuuden manga again, catching the anime of it and doing more plot plotting with the plot bunnies (which are happy by the way)

Future things...

_Higher Beings' Interference. War. Manipulation. Death. Disappearence. Ascension. Psychologically Imported._

**

* * *

**

R.

* * *


End file.
